


Rebirthing

by ctwriites



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Elemental Magic, Engagement, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Gen, Multi, Mutual Pining, Platonic Female/Male Relationships, Sister-Sister Relationship, Slow Romance, Swordfighting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-06-04
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:47:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 34
Words: 88,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24003058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ctwriites/pseuds/ctwriites
Summary: Brow giving an exasperated twitch, Sesshomaru sighed shortly at her impulsive nature and groused, “I do not sulk…” He strode after the women, knowing without a shred of doubt that his princess would get herself in over her head, again, and he knew even moreso that the girls' combined brashness would be the death of them.That was definitely something he refused to live with for the rest of his life.
Relationships: Kouga (InuYasha)/Original Female Character(s), Miroku/Sango (InuYasha), Sesshoumaru (InuYasha)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 26





	1. prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i don't own InuYasha, just the alterations and or OC(s) in this fic. this fic got some decent feedback where i originally posted it so i figured i would post it here instead. enjoy!

The round jewel glinted in the afternoon sun’s light, dangling by the string of beads as it was clutched tight in his hand.  
  
He loped away as fast as his bare feet could carry him, dodging the trapping nets hurled at him from the left and right sides of the shrine’s steep stairwell.  
  
_Just a little bit further and he was free_ …  
  
“ _InuYasha!”_ A very familiar voice cried just as he dashed past the large oak before air sharply caught on the fired projectile.  
  
A resounding ‘ _thunk_ ’ ripped into the electrified air as the shining gem dropped from his grasp and he gave an involuntary growl of pain at being pinned to the large tree.  
  
Confusion and hurt glimmered in his wide gold eyes that settled on the dark-haired woman who had shot him and he breathed, “Kikyo...?”

_(meanwhile, far to the Northwest…)_

_'The both of you are all that survives of our clan, now, and therefore you must live… I love you, my girls.'_  
  
A slight yelp of surprise sounded when her right boot sole slipped on uneasy rock.  
  
She turned to quickly grab onto the other female’s left arm, her nails fastening in the soft flesh of her bicep. Calm silver held surprised blue as the slightly-intensified air of the steep hillside calmed, and the latter nodded with a sheepish smile as she said, “sorry.”  
  
“Don’t mention it…” the former thought to scold her for being unawares of her footing but decided against it, instead puffing a bit of air as she mused, “I think we need to take a break, there’s a safe landing not far from here.”  
  
Both females soon found the mentioned flat landing a few minutes later.  
  
She looked up at the bleak skied morning and exhaled loudly before wondering after a moment, “think we got far enough away?”  
  
The other female let her legs dangle over the edge of their flat as she slightly reclined and replied, “yes… well enough for noone to track us up here, anyway.”  
  
Like it was easy to climb the steep cliffside they had just accomplished. Many of their age-mates had been warned by their mothers to never climb the mountains in winter for it was a hazardous trial in and of itself.  
  
Her pointed ear twitched at hearing shuffling, and she looked at her companion as she stood up to look out over the miles they had put between themselves and their old territory. “Nothing then,” she didn’t ask and didn’t feel the need to.  
  
Anyone with a lick of sense wouldn’t dare cross them unless they sought a quick death.  
  
“No,” the younger woman replied absently, her blue eyes settling on where their home had once stood, brow crinkling a bit as she confirmed, “nothing.”  
  
She grunted slightly as she straightened at her right, sparing the large forest a single look before she clapped a hand on her shoulder. “C'mon, we should keep moving. Even if it doesn’t look it right now, the mountains aren’t safe,” she advised.  
  
She wasn’t inept towards what sorts of creatures resided around their former territory and so nodded her head, shrugging her bow and quiver onto her left shoulder to give slack to her right, pausing as her pointed ears twitched. “ _Onee-chan_ , do you hear that, too?” She asked, looking at her companion.  
  
She had also heard the familiar and soothing sound of running water, smiling at their stroke of luck before urging, “let’s go!” She took off first in the easternmost direction with her sister at her heels. 

Since the incident weeks ago, the sisters had believed their luck was dismal if not nonexistent… at least before today.  
  
“Don’t hog all of it…” she chided as she had finished washing her face with a splash of water from the creek.  
  
She wiped her mouth with the back of her left hand and tossed the sling to her, making a face. “Calm down, Mother Hen,” she returned, blinking back water when she was sprinkled with it as her sister shook her ebony hair of melted flurries, pouting as she griped, “I thought **I** was the immature one here!”  
  
She ran her nails through the tousled locks framing her face and gave her an off-hand look. “Oh, forgot you were there,” she replied with a serene smile that barely hid the smug light in her silver eyes.  
  
“I swear by the moon…” the younger woman began to curse before watching the serene look falter from her sister's face.  
  
Regarding the sharp look extended to the thatch of wood on the other end of the creek, she started to ask what it was before she felt it too, straightening with her bow in hand and bristling a bit as she nocked an arrow while her sister shifted a bit when she stood to shield her.  
  
Bristling as well when feeling the aura fast approaching, a soft _‘clink_ ’ sounded when the older drew the blade of her katana out of its black scabbard and caused a sharp arc of blue-green energy to fly across the way.  
  
The attack nearly hit the foreign party in the brush before a blur of silver leapt out to of hiding to face the sisters.  
  
Silver clashed with gold.  
  
“… You!” The younger woman gaped in surprise when recognizing their _'attacker'_.


	2. Divinations

The two-headed staff hobbled closer to the sealed stout rock formation, stopping shy of several yards.  
  
“Milord, here it is, the tomb we’ve sought!” A green toad imp squawked as he scurried after the staff’s lead and stopped near it.  
  
His master wordlessly followed with the two sisters trailing behind him. “Are you sure, Jaken?” He wondered. They had come up with dead ends within the last fifty years, and today there was slightest glimmer of hope that this newest method would not fail.  
  
“Aye indeed, milord. The staff has never let us down! Allow me,” the imp nodded as he seized the staff and approached the rocks, giving a startled yelp when low growling rippled in the air around the formation.  
  
He scrambled away from the small pack of wolves that had been watching them from the shadows nearby to come into the open and snarl angrily at their trespassing.  
  
Gold eyes glancing to the left when the ebony-haired woman brushed past him to approach the pack without fear, his gaze settled on her back as the wolves snarled louder and took a few cautious steps closer to her.  
  
She surprised him (even if he didn’t show it) when she crouched at eye-level to the wolves, extending a hand to them with her palm facing up.  
  
Regarding the powerful she-wolf who meant no harm to them, the wolves calmed and one or two gave a soft whine, the alpha of their pack stepping up to lick her opened palm in apology.  
  
She smiled and used her free hand to scratch behind the ear of their alpha, retrieving both hands to assure the wolves, “you’ve protected this place well, now go back to the mountains. Everything will be all right.”  
  
The pack heeded her words and then followed their alpha who seemed to nod before he led them away from the rocks in favor of the mountains in the distance, disappearing into the night as she straightened to watch them go.  
  
She nodded slightly in their wake before turning to her companions, catching his eye as their stares met, and she shrugged before looking to the formation.  
  
Her younger sister rolled her eyes behind them and sported a serene smile at the mild look from the former.  
  
“Position the staff, then.” He ordered the imp, watching his vassal eagerly obey and scurry to stand atop the large and smooth rock to dust the top off before tapping it with the bottom of the staff.  
  
A creaking of wood sounded before the side of the staff that had a woman’s face carved into the surface opened its eyelids to show blackened irises while its mouth opened to let a shriek breach the quiet of the evening.  
  
“Beauty… another goose-chase, isn’t it?” The youngest of the trio mused, raising a brow when their apparent leader turned to leave and sharing a brief look with her sister who followed him. “Sesshomaru, are you so sure the Tetsusaiga isn’t a myth? We’ve nearly looked all over the country for it…” she wondered as she followed them with the imp at her heels.  
  
“I'm certain it isn't, as I know it's my birthright to have the Tetsusaiga… I doubt it will be very long before I wield it.” He answered confidently, earning a look from her, before he looked at her sister as he added, “you needn’t have wasted your kindness on those mongrels, though. I could’ve slain them without your help.”  
  
Feeling her brow twitch, she huffed and remarked in the same confident tone, “which is why I shooed them away… just because you're traveling with women doesn't mean you need to show off at every opportune moment, y'know.” She tilted her chin up a smidge and stared forward.  
  
“Cheek will only get you so far, princess.” He mused, barely quelling a scowl at her assumption.

“… We’re to give you a boat, are we?” The head samurai scoffed.  
  
He looked on him blankly despite his growing irritation with these fools, saying, “promptly.”  
  
The lesser samurai around him bristled as their leader glared at him and began, “you son of a…!”  
  
A soft singing sounded as her katana’s blade tip met his rounded nose, making surprise ripple throughout the throng of warriors. He glanced at her with the slightest lift of his brow.  
  
“Surely, even you lot of _sword-toting thugs_ should heed a polite request from a passerby stranger… ya damn humans.” She chuckled softly as her narrowed silver eyes held the surprised and irritated brown gaze of the samurai she threatened.  
  
“T-they’re not human...!” Another man stuttered at noting the odd couple’s otherwise-different “ _traits”_ , from their pointed ears even to the woman’s wolf tail, adding, “they’re some sort of beasts!”  
  
“Get them...!” A brawny man near their leader cried before a shocked look passed over his face and he fell with an arrow in his back.  
  
Bowstring creaking as she nocked another, the youngest of the trio stepped into the light with her companions. “Subtlety isn’t really your strongsuit, _Onee-chan_ ,” she lamented, looking at the host around them with a bored huff.  
  
_Neither_ of them were very subtle for their standing, in his opinion.  
  
The imp then came forth from the brush around them and informed the oldest of the trio, “er-um, Lord Sesshomaru, I didn’t have any luck with acquiring a boat… of course, I didn’t see those dinghies over there…” He noticed said boats docked yards away and half-hoped his master wouldn’t beat him for his failure.  
  
Said master glanced again at the older of the two females and nodded a smidge at the news. “Then I’ll leave disposing these men to you, Jaken. We’re going,” he said calmly, adding the last part moreso for the sword-toting female who, for a moment, hesitated to follow his lead.  
  
She grumbled a _'tch'_ and lowered her sword to return it to its scabbard at her hip before obeying, striding past him with purpose to the docked boats.  
  
Slightly shaking her head, her sister traipsed after him when he followed, folding her arms at her chest.  
  
It wasn’t that Getsu was insolent… _not really_ , anyway. She simply wasn’t accustomed to taking orders from anyone, and that included her betrothed.  
  
According to their mother, the odd pair were promised to each other decades before they were born as a sign of alliance and peace between their father— the great clan head of the wolf demon tribe that ruled the northern regions in the west — and the great dog demon general who ruled the southern regions.  
  
It was with what remaining luck the sisters had that they had reunited fifty years ago.  
  
“Embarking on this treasure hunt has made you _more_ of a prat than you were last we met, Sesshomaru.” Her sister commented as they were boarding one of the sturdier dinghies.  
  
His ears twitched and he glanced back at her to retort, “when we met last, _you_ were the eternal tomboy… I doubt that’s going to change within another hundred years.” Apparently she had forgotten that he could play that game, too.  
  
“I rest my case,” she lamented, having bit back a slight growl to look at the stars above.  
  
He huffed and put his reputation for being blasé into question as he dared ask, “about _what?_ ” Even when they were younger, she had the damned tendency to get under his skin without even trying.  
  
“You _clearly_ don’t remember what it means to have fun, otherwise you would’ve made those thugs pay for their disrespect.” She answered matter-of-factly as she folded her arms.  
  
Her sister scoffed as she put in, “I’ve gotta agree with her on that. Those samurai were nothing more than cowards, from what I saw.”  
  
“Er-um, Milord…” Jaken began, tone hesitant, at sensing his master’s mood shift to irritation which coincidentally happened a lot more now that the wolf sisters were accompanying them.  
  
He pinched the bridge of his nose, slightly exhaling as he asked, “what is it, now?”  
  
The imp gulped before he continued, “perhaps we could try to enlist the help of InuYasha, again? We _have_ indeed tried many times to find the Tetsusaiga, if you think on it, and he might know more of where your father’s remains were buried…”  
  
“ _’InuYasha’?”_ Getsu murmured with a cocked brow.  
  
A disgruntled scoff came from her counterpart who used the two-headed staff to smack the imp out of the dinghy, causing the other to squawk, before he stomped the butt of the staff on Jaken's bald head.  
  
“InuYasha… that idiot _hanyou_ is dead to us, for all intents and purposes. It'd be pointless to enlist his help,” he declined with the warmth of the coldest winter in his smooth voice.  
  
“I remember him now… I heard he had been sealed to a tree by some priestess.” Korihime noted as she couldn't help but snort as he drowned the imp.  
  
Even if she wasn't about to admit it, much less in front of him, Getsu found she couldn't disagree after recalling that rumor. “A lover’s spat, at best,” she mused aloud before adding nonchalantly, “your toad mentioned that the staff changed direction… clearly your baby brother has something to do with it.”  
  
To this day, she couldn’t fathom why someone who had demon blood in his veins would fall for a mortal woman… much less a priestess.  
  
Of course she was hardly one to speak, given her betrothal to the entitled dog demon seated at the helm that her father had chosen for her. And, even then, if they were destined to be for some reason she wasn't aware of, she was hardly one to blindly obey any male… _especially Sesshomaru!_

She still thought this goose-chase was nonsense, no matter how confident he was about it.  
  
“I thought that was you, Sesshomaru!” The _hanyou_ bitingly greeted his brother.  
  
She slightly tilted her head at acknowledging the lesser dog demon as she wondered of her sister, “he’s kinda dashing, in his own way, isn’t he?”  
  
“He barks too loudly,” her sister remarked, having scoffed under her breath after briefly cocking a brow at her observation.  
  
Both sisters stood on the right shoulder of the massive maroon ogre he had conjured up –frankly, it was by the imp’s craft that the ogre had been summoned, but in the end he used his poison whip to control the mindless beast—to drag the _hanyou_ out of hiding, watching with a measure of annoyance as he used the visage of the other’s dead mother to aid in his plan.  
  
It was only curiosity that had them present to witness such a thing.  
  
“It’s good to see you as well, little brother.” Sesshomaru scoffed humorlessly.  
  
Korihime glanced between the two as she commented, “so explains the eyes… it’s rare to see gold eyes beyond dog demons.”  
  
“ _That_ ’s your brother?” A second female voice asked, making the trio take notice of the raven-haired girl who spoke up from standing with the _hanyou_.  
  
Sesshomaru’s nose all-but wrinkled as he mused, “a mortal woman, then…?”  
  
“Y-yeah, what of it?” The girl remarked.  
  
“He _is_ half human, is he not?” Getsu asked blandly as she glanced at the mentioned's older brother.  
  
“And what if I am, _huh,_ wench?” Said half-breed growled as he turned his sights onto the two wolf demons, glaring up at the older one who cocked a brow in turn.  
  
“Getsuei makes a valid point, InuYasha. It would be disgraceful if you were more… _evolved_ , though this girl seems to suit you well. I’d think you had had enough of these humans, unless you’ve picked up one of father’s unsuitable habits.” Sesshomaru answered coolly, pretending said she-wolf didn’t glare at him, as he acknowledged the irate growl that came from his brother.  
  
Right, how could she forget? Years before their clan's demise, rumors had reached the north of his father’s sudden romance with a mortal woman. It perplexed her father at first, she remembered, but he had understood nonetheless how irrational love could be and therefore didn't pass judgement on his ally and friend.  
  
“Ya didn't come all this way just to criticize me, though, right? Why the hell didja come lookin’ for me for?” InuYasha demanded with some defense, drawing her from her thoughts.  
  
Sesshomaru scoffed before he assumed, “don’t be such a fool, surely you should know where Father's burial site is.”  
  
“Why ask me, of all people? I hardly knew the old man as well as you did and, even _if_ I knew where it was, it’s not like I’d willingly tell _you!_ ” InuYasha snapped, the defensive tone returned.  
  
“Perhaps he doesn’t know after all…?” Korihime mused quietly.  
  
Getsu ignored the bristle when the visage of his mother was tortured again, replying in the same tone, “he must know, though, otherwise Sesshomaru wouldn’t dawdle.” That was just how he was, that was the Sesshomaru she remembered from their childhood.  
  
_She still remembers him as he was then, after all this time… Father must've had a good feeling about them,_ her sister thought with a small and private smile.

_‘As my future wife, you should be privy to this spectacle as well, Getsu.’_  
  
A yelp came from her as she dropped instantly when they entered the Borderland.  
  
His left hand shot out to grab hold of her right, and she silently thanked him for his quick grab despite the impulse to slap that damned entitled attitude out of him. “Father was right in mentioning that wolf demons were made of iron,” he mused as he pulled her up to hook his arm around her waist, flying further on.  
  
Heat burned her cheeks and she growled. “First, don’t look so damn smug just because you were right about the black pearl. Second, that was a dirty trick, even for you. Third… _don’t call me your wife!_ Just because we met again fifty years ago doesn’t give you the right to say you own me,” she said angrily.  
  
Listening to her scolding of his recent actions, he regarded that she was infinitely more interesting when she was angry… though he wasn’t keen on being burned. “ _Yet.”_ He caught her somewhat-confused look and elaborated calmly, “you still have yet to accept that you will be my wife.”  
  
Gold met silver again and he noted her eyes glimmered like freshly-forged steel.  
  
“If I could fly, I’d _gladly_ slap that smug look off your handsome face…” she grumbled in defeat, having looked away with a hard furrow of her brow and a disgruntled noise that sat in her throat.  
  
A brief look of surprise brightened his eyes before he sobered with a smirk and observed, “so you _do_ think me handsome.”  
  
“I… just shut up.” Getsu grumped, giving an unladylike snort, before the disgruntled look fell from her face as she laid eyes on the massive skeleton of a dog demon adorned with worn armor, murmuring in awe, “great moon, his bones are massive.”  
  
If her parents hadn’t died the way they had, she didn't doubt that her father’s massive bones would have been there, too.  
  
To their luck, they arrived inside the ribcage of the great general before his brother.  
  
Getsu looked on the lone sword that stood stuck in a flat gold pedestal, frowning at its otherwise-disheveled and worn appearance. She thought aloud, “it’s merely a rusted blade… _this_ is the fang that can fell a hundred demons in one swing?”  
  
_What was the great general thinking of leaving behind this old thing?_  
  
Sesshomaru huffed as he looked over at the she-wolf from standing by the pedestal. “It is finally mine, after so long… watch, Getsu, as I make myself a greater demon than I am now,” he said proudly as he extended his hand to grab the worn hilt.  
  
Blue sparks crackled and sprang into view as they repelled his touch, causing the dog demon to retrieve his now-burned hand.  
  
“So it _rejects_ a great dog like you… I doubt it would make much difference if it were me who drew it from its place.” She said pensively as she folded her arms at her chest.  
  
Considering firing a retort as he glared over at her, he reconsidered it when the angered snarl of his younger brother ripped through the air as both _hanyou_ and the other's female arrived at last, having perched on one of the higher rib bones.  
  
“We’re not finished yet!” InuYasha declared before he flew at his brother.  
  
Getsu raised a brow when the older of the two leapt onto one of the higher bones, looking up at him as she mused, “guess his pride is taking a beating, isn’t it…?” Of course, it wasn’t like he would say anything to her, because she knew he wouldn’t.  
  
He tended to be rather distant when his pride was compromised.  
  
She instead turned her sights onto his brother as the flea vassal— Myoga as he had once called the little demon, a loyal servant of his late father who had apparently been instructed to serve InuYasha instead of Sesshomaru for good reason— on his shoulder squeaked excitedly about the Tetsusaiga that stood lodged in its pedestal.  
  
If he _could_ withdraw that rusted katana, then she would die of shock.  
  
The _hanyou_ proceeded to try and draw Tetsusaiga from its place in the stone, and a bristle rose along her spine as the fang minutely budged when he pulled on the hilt with all his strength, before he too couldn’t draw it.  
  
As she had thought.  
  
Getsu huffed. “It’s pointless to linger here if neither of you could draw that blade,” she said as the brothers then started fighting.  
  
“Don’t bother interfering, then, for this will be over with soon,” Sesshomaru returned with a scoff between sending his brother flying from a sharp blow.  
  
“Don’t order me around!” She growled before her ears perked as she watched the girl— Kagome, as that half-breed had called her earlier— then drop from her perch to grab the sword and fend off an irritable Jaken.  
  
“InuYasha!” Kagome exclaimed when seeing he was cornered, reflexively pulling on the sword even though she hardly expected for it to budge.  
  
Getsu’s eyes widened in surprise when the old sword finally budged as it was pulled free from the pedestal, and she breathed, “holy…”  
  
_A human… a human had pulled the Tetsusaiga from its place!_  
  
“Oops…” Kagome mumbled when earning shocked looks from the brothers, Jaken, and Getsu, and she looked down at the sword in hand before adding hastily, “sorry!”  
  
“ _’Sorry’!_ ” Getsu scoffed the word, bristling somewhat when Sesshomaru leapt away from InuYasha’s quick swipe with his claws to land infront of the spooked girl, starting, “Sesshomaru…”  
  
“What sort of human _are_ you, I wonder,” he said more to himself.  
  
“Sesshomaru, leave her alone; she’s got nothing to do with this!” InuYasha snapped defensively.  
  
_Is that even possible…?_ She looked between them and huffed as she mused, “this is rather tedious, isn’t it?” It wasn’t like it was a complete shock, given she could see the mutual affection between them, but it was boring to say the least.  
  
“Indeed it is. Your patience with this girl is astonishing, InuYasha, given it seems you love her… this mercy towards them is something I didn’t inherit from our father. It must be that mother of yours, that _human_ mother, who was the reason our father met his untimely end. Perhaps that is what so endears you to these creatures,” Sesshomaru agreed, turning slightly to extend his hand at the girl and make the bones above her melt with just the toxins in his claws to bury her in a mass of mushy sludge.  
  
Getsu had leapt onto a higher perch when he used his claws, looking down at the spot and noticing the rusted katana stuck out from the mass. _So, she used Tetsusaiga to protect herself at the last second… perhaps that sword has a use after all, despite its rejection of a demon’s touch_ , she thought, turning her sights onto the brothers as InuYasha rushed Sesshomaru in a rage. _He's definitely the runt if he still fights like a cub_ … she wrinkled her nose.  
  
Movement from below perked her ears minutes later, and she raised both brows as Kagome emerged from the sludge with a gasp for air, musing, _she survived the toxins… this girl must be a priestess of some sort, how else would she have emerged whole?_  
  
“Hey, you tried to kill me, you jerk!” Kagome exclaimed as she gestured flippantly at the dog demon before giving the sword to his brother, flashing a smile as she said, “here, I think we underestimated it.”  
  
Getsu huffed and mused aloud from her perch, “your brother has an odd taste in women.” She looked at the girl when earning their attention and added with an innocent smile, “still, Tetsusaiga has _some_ power, even in this form.”  
  
“Be silent.” Sesshomaru growled at her without looking the way of his companion, ignoring the slight spike in her _yoki_ at his tone, as his own _yoki_ flared around him and made the skulls tremble beneath his boots, adding with finality, “let’s see if a half-breed can wield the Tetsusaiga, and I will be the witness.”  
  
Getsu watched with interest when his form changed, hearing his bones creak and groan as he transformed into a massive hound with white fur and red eyes. Her own lesser half whined in the back of her mind, envious at his being released.  
  
_Silence!_ She internally snarled at it, feeling it back down, before perking up when InuYasha launched himself at the mighty beast with the Tetsusaiga barely leaving a scratch on his opponent as the two leapt up to meet each other, the hound nearly tramping the girl under his paws before she scrambled out of the way.  
  
Taking a whiff of the air at both seeing and smelling the toxins spewing from his maw, she wrinkled her nose when he turned to the _hanyou_ to try and stun him with the fumes. “Hey, priestess… Kagome, is it? Ya should get to higher ground; this stink is bad enough to demons, imagine it doing _worse_ to a mortal like yourself!” She declared to the named girl below.  
  
“W-wait, you're helping me? But I thought you hated humans, too!” Kagome called to the other woman with confusion.  
  
“Are you gonna stand there and ask foolish questions, or are you gonna take my hand?” Getsu demanded with some impatience at the questions, having rolled her eyes, dropping to a couple of ribs just above the girl's head and extending her right hand to the other.  
  
Kagome hesitated for a second and winced when the hound flew at InuYasha again at the far end of the tomb before complying, “right, coming!” She took her clawed hand and slightly yelped when the she-wolf hoisted her up to her level with little effort, clinging to the bone for aid. “Um thanks, Getsuei,” she added with a slight bow of her head in thanks.  
  
“No problem… and don’t call me that. _‘Getsu_ ’ is fine,” she nodded back, looking down at the two brothers with a slight groan of irritation. “Those idiots honestly can’t get along for one second, can they…? The stink will most likely end up paralyzing us if we don’t move higher,” she stated with a look upward at the higher levels of the ribcage.  
  
“Well, that’s great...!” She lamented before the wolf demon began climbing up, and she hurriedly did the same to avoid being suffocated by the toxins that seemed to creep up the levels, asking for curiosity's sake, “why'd Sesshomaru bring you with him anyway, if he was going to pull this?”  
  
Getsu snorted and replied flippantly, “you must not be from around here if you're askin' me _that!_ Sesshomaru is an arrogant, entitled prat who wanted to show off to his future wife…”  
  
“Wait a second! You’re _engaged_ to that jerk?” Kagome exclaimed in shock as her voice bounced off the walls around them.  
  
“Long story short, our fathers promised us to each other before we were born… at least that’s how Mama told me.” Getsu explained, giving a slight grunt when she dug her claws into the bone she had reached, looking down at the cry of pain coming from the _hanyou_ below as the hound shook his head with InuYasha in his grasp before the ‘ _rag doll’_ jabbed the blunt end into his right eye.  
  
“Huh, he’s got fire… shame Sesshomaru hates him with a passion,” she mused aloud, perking her ears and watching the brothers fly upward past their perch to create a hole in the shoulder of the massive skeleton, smirking ruefully and adding to herself, “that jerk…”  
  
“What about InuYasha?” Kagome asked worriedly from nearby.  
  
Getsu exhaled shortly and assured, “he’s a grown pup, he can handle himself… either way, we’re leaving too.” She extended her hand to the girl and instructed, “grab on, I can get us out.”  
  
Kagome briefly looked at the hole in the armor above and nodded, taking her hand and giving a slight wince when the she-wolf hooked her right arm around her ribs, shutting her eyes as they flew up with a burst of fire.  
  
Both women landed gently near the neck of the large skeleton as Sesshomaru tossed the _hanyou_ away and proceeded to charge at him as he narrowly dodged his attacks.  
  
“Stubbornness is something the both of them seemed to inherit from the great general…” Getsu noted as InuYasha glanced off the hound’s right paw and landed yards from them as they stood safely to the side.  
  
“Come on, InuYasha, you’ve almost got him! That sword is yours, so all you’ve got to do is believe in it, like I believe in you,” Kagome declared.  
  
_She must’ve been dropped or something, if she’s believing in this idiot_ , Getsu thought as she pinched the bridge of her nose.  
  
InuYasha huffed and made a face as he remarked, “'course I’m gonna survive this! I’m a half-demon after all… though I’m not too sure about _you_ surviving this…”  
  
“So I should do _what_ , then…?” Kagome demanded, causing both he and the she-wolf to blink at the catch in her throat.  
  
“Nice goin', dumbass…” Getsu mumbled.  
  
Incensed and frustrated at his luck, InuYasha scoffed. “Ya should stop crying and let me protect you, okay?” He said gruffly.  
  
Getsu raised both brows as he stepped away to face his brother. _He must care for her if he’s this ruffled about her tears,_ she thought.  
  
Kagome was as shocked as the she-wolf (even if the latter didn't show it), looking at her as she asked, “did he really… Getsu, you heard what he said, right?”  
  
“Loud and clear.” Getsu nodded sagely, looking at the hulking dog and bristling as she started to feel jealous of Kagome.  
  
She wasn’t a mortal woman, and she didn’t have the time or patience to expect for Sesshomaru to go out of his way to protect her.  
  
_She didn’t need a man to defend her, she could take care of herself just fine!_


	3. Sail

Setting her sights on her target, she flexed her grip on the handle of her dagger and, with a flick of the wrist, threw the blade at its target.  
  
The sound of shattering glass shortly rippled in the early morning air when the target made of ice broke into hundreds of little shards.  
  
“Still got it, don’t I?” She guessed lightly, looking back at her audience with a smirk.  
  
The two-headed dragon gave a unanimous nod before the one called Ah looked heavenward, and the other called Un groaned in agreement as they sensed something was coming.  
  
“Now what…?” She trailed off at sensing her sister’s _yoki,_ eyes widening a little before spotting a bright ball of blue light that came into view from high above, gaping, “ _Onee-chan!”_  
  
The ball of light, which was actually a ball of blue fire, shortly hit the ground yards away from her and their steed, causing a small breeze in the forest clearing.  
  
Getsu stood there when the flames faded away and, much to her sister's surprise, supported an injured Sesshomaru by his right arm slung over her shoulders.  
  
Korihime hurried to their side, nearly trampling the imp who dizzily stumbled away from the couple. “Getsu, what happened to him?” She asked concernedly, hesitating to help him when she smelled fresh blood from his left side that stained his sleeve.  
  
“Let’s just say things didn’t go as planned…” Getsu answered wryly, looking at him when he attempted to draw away and scowling. “Hold on a sec, you’re still injured! Kori, help me set him down and see what you can do about his arm,” she instructed between looking on the tired and irritated dog demon who scowled past them.  
  
“Right!” Korihime nodded and helped her carry him to rest by the small fire, looking over at her sister and asking again, “what happened to his arm?”

The sound of birds chirping in the nearby trees stirred him.  
  
Opening a gold eye, he glanced around at the clearing to find it was void of life, save one other. He opened both eyes and looked to his left to see her sleeping soundly against a thin tree with her katana propped against her left shoulder, for a moment focusing on the sunlight that winked off the pewter-hued guard on her right shoulder.  
  
He hadn’t paid much attention when in the Borderland, but he _did_ notice she helped that girl escape his toxic fumes. Whether it was out of impulse that she wished to help a fellow spectator or merely out of sympathy for that mortal, he wasn’t sure… but he would admit her compassion towards others was tedious to say the least.  
  
A soft huff escaped him as he voiced his thoughts, “your misplaced sense of sympathy continues to amaze me.”  
  
“So you’re back from the dead, I see.” She returned, voice quiet, opening her eyes to see his ears twitch before she straightened a bit, giving a yawn that flashed her canines and adding, “shame, I thought that little sibling rivalry bout knocked some humility into your thick skull.”  
  
Sesshomaru shifted slightly to look at her, starting to argue when he noticed his movement didn't cause pain to shoot up his left side from where the stump of his arm remained, instead musing quietly, “my arm…”  
  
“Kori patched you up, at least so you wouldn’t feel pain anymore.” Getsu supplied as she fiddled with the thin braid woven into the left side of her mane of hair, calming at his observation and adding, “she took Jaken and Ah-Un to get some food, they should be back in a bit.”  
  
He rubbed his left shoulder gingerly and found she was telling the truth, looking over at her with somewhat narrowed eyes as he accused pointedly, “you helped that girl escape, in the Borderland… surely you acted _out of pity_ towards her, unless you wish to shame your own kind in _befriending_ weak humans.”  
  
_“You_ wouldn’t understand, so why should I sate your curiosity?” She retorted as their stares locked, glaring at him.  
  
He straightened as well and growled back, “because as far as you’re concerned, I am the alpha of this pack… as uncouth as you are, you should know what _that_ means, Getsuei.”  
  
Getsu flashed her fangs as she stated with pride, “you don’t own me, Sesshomaru!” She watched his gold eyes glimmer in anger before she cut her gaze away and firmly folded her arms at her chest as she added, “you wouldn't understand a lick of it, anyway, even if you tried.”  
  
“You’re insufferable as ever.” Sesshomaru huffed, looking elsewhere with a scowl on his brow.  
  
Shooting him a withering look, she retorted, “I’ll take that as a _‘thank you_ ' for getting us out of the Borderland… you ass.” She straightened when her sister returned seconds later, adding to her and ignoring the stink eye from him, “Korihime, let’s get moving.”

“Brilliant work, Milord! It seems that blue demon arm you acquired fared well!” The imp said chirpily.  
  
Said dog demon yanked the limb off and scoffed, “clearly you weren’t watching close. This arm has already outlived its usefulness.” He tossed it over his shoulder at his servant.  
  
His counterpart wrinkled her nose as she watched the discarded arm’s three fingers give a twitch. “ _Clearly_ you didn't use your head when you slew that weakling to get the arm,” she said even as the hand latched onto the imp like a steel vice.  
  
“At least the bandits are dead,” her sister muttered in an attempt at optimism, stomping her boot heel on the arm to make it release their toad, before looking to their alpha and adding as more of a thought, “still, it’s only been a few months since you lost your arm…”  
  
“Since you've reminded me within the last few weeks, just _what_ is your professional opinion on the matter?” He interrupted with some irritability, having bristled a bit as he looked her way. It wasn't that he was taking it out on her, because he wasn't, he had just grown tired of the subject of his missing arm rotating into their conversations.  
  
The older of the two females elaborated with some defense, “what she’s saying is that you should pace yourself instead of desperately running around trying to make up for your loss.” She put her hands at her hips and held his narrowed stare in hers, regarding the slight bristle.  
  
She didn't care if she hit a nerve, for the moment, she knew that _someone_ had to knock some sense into his cast-iron skull… even if it was her.  
  
“Then that truly _is_ a predicament, is it not?” A stranger’s voice said nearby, earning the attention of the three canines plus imp as they looked to the newcomer who stood to the left and had seemed to appear from out of thin air.  
  
He was an odd one if either sister had to put it correctly, probably as tall as Sesshomaru, while the stranger donned a white pelt with a blue baboon mask covering his face. He wasn't all man, either, from what they sensed, and he wasn't a mere passerby, either.  
  
“If I am not mistaken, you are the older brother of InuYasha,” the newcomer added thoughtfully.  
  
Flexing her grasp on her bow's curve, the younger woman huffed as she asked, “and if he is, what's it to you?”  
  
The stranger seemed to shift his focus to the two females present. “I have yet to have the pleasure of seeing wolf demons as beautiful as you and your sister. Forgive my manners,” he apologized with a slight bob of his head in respect.  
  
“Nauseating flatteries aside, enlighten us on why you’ve come?” Her sister asked flatly, having wrinkled her nose at his ass-kissing.  
  
“Forgive me once again, milady," the stranger chuckled slightly in response, continuing, "I couldn’t help overhearing your friend and, as someone who _also_ despises InuYasha, merely wanted to offer him this,” he minded the bristle in her tail when he withdrew a discarded human arm from the confines of his pelt to offer it to her companion.  
  
The younger she-wolf scoffed this time and asked with some disgust, “ _what_ , pray, is so special about a human’s deadened arm?”  
  
“The fact that there’s a shard of the Shikon jewel embedded in it.” Answered the stranger matter-of-factly, stating as he fixed his attention on their leader, “if you should use it, this arm will allow you to wield the Tetsusaiga that couldn't be wielded by anything aside from a human.”  
  
He bristled a bit and ignored the burning stare from his counterpart as he observed, “you mentioned that you too despise InuYasha, yet I can’t help but ask if you really just want me to kill him for you.”  
  
“Yes,” the stranger answered with another nod.  
  
A soft growl escaped the older of the two sisters before she started to demand, “you fool, just how desperate could you possibly _be…?_ ”  
  
“Very well, I shall accept the arm.” He agreed as he cut across her, making both sisters look at him with surprise as the imp squawked an outburst.  
  
“Sesshomaru…” his female counterpart began quietly.  
  
“One more thing,” the stranger said as he withdrew a ball of a hive from his pelt and offered it. “Use this, for it will come in handy in the future,” he added when the dog demon took the hive.  
  
Briefly studying the hive in hand, he looked to its owner as he pointed out, “I would like to learn the name of someone I make a deal with.”  
  
“My apologies, once again, you can call me Naraku.” The stranger introduced.  
  
“You can’t be serious…” The younger she-wolf turned to their guest again only to perk up at seeing he had disappeared into the early evening, frowning before glancing at her sister who had grown silent.  
  
Sesshomaru tucked the hive into his sleeve and also looked to the strangely-quieter of the two as his confidence seemed replenished. “How about _that?_ It appears I will obtain the Tetsusaiga after all, Getsu… you were worried for nothing,” he stated rather smugly.  
  
“You fool, don’t you see? He’s playing you!” She snapped with another growl in her throat, scowling up at him as she added curtly, “I know you’ve been after that damned sword for years, but _this_ is the stupidest thing you’ve done to get it!”  
  
“Then what would you have me _do_ , Getsuei? You know that when I want something, I will get it… otherwise _you_ would still be on that mountain.” He sharply retorted, glaring at her.  
  
Opened mouth clamping shut until her lips formed into a thin line, Getsu took a half-step back and away from him as her eyes burned. “Then you do it without me… I'd have sooner died with my clan than ever be married to a _selfish and arrogant ass like **you** , Sesshomaru!_” She snarled coldly as the backs of her eyes stung with tears, looking away to turn and stride off into the confines of the nearby forest without another word.  
  
“ _Onee-chan!_ ” Korihime declared as she watched her go, sparing a look at the sombered Sesshomaru who followed her gaze with his, before she shouldered her bow and ran after her sister.

Tracing her clawed fingers over the teal hilt of her sword, she looked down at it and exhaled quietly. With a bitter smile she recalled that her father had left it to her before the fire, because it was his father’s before… it was the only thing she had left of home.  
  
“Father left it to you because he knew you were stronger than him or Granddad. He used to tell us about how it was made, when we were little, remember?” Her sister commented in a quieted tone as she had found her and came to stand at her right.  
  
Regarding the thoughtful smile on her paler face, she smiled before nodding and recalling in the same tone, “how Great-Grandma Hitomi had it forged from her own fang before she died. _‘Do it before I can no longer see it at work,_ ’ she had told the old smithy… Papa said she had threatened the old dog, too, to burn him on the spot with her fire.”  
  
Both sisters shared a quiet laugh at the memory.  
  
He would probably haunt her if she were to forsake the pact he had deigned she carry, if she were to abandon Sesshomaru now when he would need her help… _damn it_.  
  
Hands lightly clenching the heirloom, Getsu straightened and spared a final look at the stars that had come out to shine brilliantly above them. “You never play fair, Papa,” she lamented under her breath before slipping the sheathed sword back in place at her left hip.  
  
“We’re going after him, then,” Korihime guessed as she looked at her sister, hopeful that they could reach their third companion in time.  
  
“Someone has to save his ass if he can’t do it himself.” Getsu mused with a scoff at the reality of her situation, sniffing the air as they both caught the mentioned's scent along with that of his brother. “Well that’s typical…” she grumbled before nodding to her sister.  
  
Korihime rushed after her lead, following Getsu who took off by hopping over the small overlook they had occupied to break into the trees’ shelter below, giving a chuckle when they ran in the direction of the mixed scents and musing lightly, “seems he started the party without us!”  
  
That was just rude!


	4. Buzzcut Season

Slamming its large paw down on the nearby hill, the ogre drew it back as hundreds of menial demons rose into the air to descend on the ruined village below.  
  
“Watch, InuYasha, as I fell these demons with one strike from the Tetsusaiga,” he boasted as he raised the heirloom sword and readied to strike.  
  
A wide wave of pink ice streaked through the air to collide with the horde getting closer, halting him in his demonstration, as the horde became encased in the ice in less than a second. A blast of blue fire shot out from where the ice wall had come, destroying the demons so not even their ashes remained.  
  
“If you’re trying to show off to mortals, try in another hundred years, darling.” She drawled clearly, causing his brow to twitch.  
  
His two female companions came into the clear yet his gold glare was set on the older of the two who met his gaze with brazen silver eyes.  
  
“Getsu…?” The young priestess perked up at seeing the she-wolves, looking between them and their leader and frowning as she pondered, “that doesn’t make sense, why would she attack Sesshomaru…?”  
  
“I had assumed you were going to keep your nose out of this… _dearest._ ” He drawled, using venom with the petname.  
  
She scoffed and smiled ruefully as she taunted, “and miss the party?” Her ears twitched when a blur of red launched itself at him, rolling her eyes as she muttered, “I was waiting for that.”  
  
Korihime nodded to the two brothers and mused lightly, “guess our display gave InuYasha an opening.”  
  
“They're both idiots no matter how you slice it… Kagome, been a while.” Getsu huffed before greeting the priestess as she and her sister descended to come over to the odd trio.  
  
Kagome smiled rather sheepishly as she replied, “yeah really, it has! I never got the chance to thank you for helping me, last time…” She blinked once when the monk seemed to levitate as he zipped over to take the left hand of the younger wolf demon, cocking a brow as she began, “um, Miroku…?”  
  
“I understand we’ve just met and though I never ask this of a demon, let alone one as breathtaking as you, would you do me the honor of bearing my child?” Miroku asked kindly of the surprised wolf.  
  
In the background, both Getsu and Kagome deadpanned.  
  
“ _ **Hentai**!”_ Korihime exclaimed as she used her long bow to smack him right on the head and cause him to flop back, her pale face pink with blush, before she looked over at her observing sister and added annoyedly, “ya could’ve done something!”  
  
Getsu shrugged innocently and replied in the same tone, “it’s not _me_ he wanted to shag, _imoto-chan_. Never mind that I doubt Papa would protest to you marrying such an upstanding monk.”  
  
“ _Onee-chan!”_ Korihime balked in horror, having inched closer to Kagome.  
  
“Don’t feel too bad, Miroku’s dumb enough to do that to every pretty girl he sees.” The youngest of the trio, a ginger-haired fox kitsune with a poofy tan tail, piped up as he shook his head at the monk’s antics.  
  
“There weren’t very many fox clans in the north, so ya must be from around here. I'm sure you're in good hands with Kagome-chan, though,” Getsu said with a smile as she crouched infront of him, having perked up a bit at seeing the kit.  
  
“Yup, Kagome's been really kind to me! I’m Shippo,” the kit smiled back as he introduced himself.  
  
“Well you know _that_ dense-headed jerk, Sesshomaru,” Getsu jerked a thumb over her shoulder at where the brothers were fighting, adding with a bright smile, “and that’s my sister Korihime, so I’m Getsu. You can call me _’Onee-chan_ ‘ too, if you want.”  
  
Korihime pouted, still sore about being hit on, commenting blandly, “hey, I thought you only let _me_ call you that…”  
  
“Milord, allow me to get rid of this foolhardy monk, I will deal with him!” Jaken declared from atop the ogre’s shoulder.  
  
_Since when is he worried about what a monk can do?_ Getsu thought before seeing said monk had chosen to stick his foot into the brothers’ squabble, watching with some amazement when Miroku removed the beads and wrapping from his right hand to show a wind tunnel in his palm that began to suck in the giant ogre. “Right, now I’ve seen everything,” she muttered.  
  
“I’ll say…” Korihime agreed before her ears perked as buzzing sounded, looking to see the dog demon had released the large insects from the borrowed hive and watching as they flew right into the tunnel’s eye before clogging it up and poisoning the monk. “Miroku!” She barked when he dropped onto his backside, leaving the girls and kitsune to jog to his aid.

_So those insects came in handy after all_ , Sesshomaru mused before a blast of fire streaked at where he stood. He hopped out of the way in time, looking with some surprise at the caster of the blue flames before he scowled and demanded irritably, “so you choose to betray me and help these weak humans?”  
  
“If I've gotta fight you to make you see the truth, then so be it." Getsu stated stubbornly as she flexed her claws, adding to her sister over her shoulder, "Korihime, see what you can do about Miroku's hand, I’ve got this!” She rushed him again at a sprint, jumping overhead when he swiped at her with his own claws, kicking off the air with a smaller burst of flames from her soles to land yards away on nimble feet.  
  
She perked up when his poison whip lashed out in return, and she sharply swung her right arm out, creating a larger blast of fire that made him fall back for fear of getting burned, asking casually, “makes you miss when we were pups, doesn’t it, Sesshomaru?”  
  
She had to keep him occupied just a little longer, at least enough for her sister to patch up Miroku.  
  
“You were more difficult to control, then!” Sesshomaru scoffed back, starting to raise his _“hand_ ” that held the Tetsusaiga before looking down at it as he lowered the sword to his side. No, he wouldn’t use that on her… _he couldn’t_. It wasn’t because he was a coward, because he wasn’t, it was… well, he wasn’t quite sure what it was.  
  
_Was it love?_  
  
A torrent of blue screamed at him then, yanking him from his warring thoughts and making him roll out of the way in time, a growl leaping into his throat from somewhere in his chest at her impatience as he retorted, “another thousand years could pass and you _still_ retain your impulsiveness!” He lashed out with the whip again and rushed her when she jumped out of the way and took off with her mane of ebony flying in her wake, the growl escaping him as he loped after her.  
  
Getsu barked a laugh despite running from him, looking back to see that he gave chase. “Surely you’re faster than you used to be, _dearest!”_ She taunted, picking up the pace as she had breached the treeline and bouncing off one thick tree to do the same to the adjoining tree and drop to the ground feet-first.  
  
Sesshomaru cracked a rueful smile at her goading as his lesser half relished her challenge, mirroring her even as she was a quarter of a mile ahead of him and had reached the edges of the forest, his boots bouncing off the trunk as he propelled himself right at her. Right arm snagging her waist in his grip, causing a startled half-yelp to escape her, he yanked them to the ground and rolled until he had her pinned.  
  
Getsu panted softly and heard him panting, looking up at him and his silver hair that had somewhat gotten in his eyes, making something inside her chest ache as she minded how handsome he had become, before she shut her eyes to steel herself from the distraction of his good looks as she also minded her left knee that was poised at his belly.  
  
A noise between a grunt and a growl came from the dog demon when he was propelled off of her with her sharp knee lodged in his belly, and he watched her scramble up to sprint back to the village as fast as her bare feet could carry her. _She still kicks like a mule_ , he thought as he picked himself up and flew after her leave.  
  
He reached the village shortly after she did just in time to catch a blow from his brother, punting it off with ease thanks to the heirloom sword in hand. “Your stupidity knows no bounds, InuYasha; how unfortunate for you!” He lunged at him again with irritation.  
  
“Surprised you didn’t kick him harder,” Korihime said as Getsu regrouped with her, Miroku and Shippo.  
  
Getsu scoffed as she had shaken off the effects of the would-be moment, looking at the monk and asking, “s' not like it would've done much damage. Did you get the poison out?”  
  
“Not exactly…” Korihime answered before her eyes sharpened as their leader raised the heirloom sword to deal a final blow at his brother who had ducked behind the felled ogre’s body to regain his breath. “InuYasha, move!” She exclaimed, watching in shock as the sword swung down and obliterated the ogre as well as buried the half-breed under it, crying out, _“InuYasha!_ ”  
  
“Don’t,” Getsu grabbed her wrist when she started to run to him, looking past her at the cleared ground as she reasoned patiently, “he’s not the most intelligent dog, but he just might be able to regain the Tetsusaiga.” She felt her sister relax when the named half-breed emerged from the remains, smirking at his tenacity.  
  
If he didn’t get killed first.  
  
Both sisters perked up when Sesshomaru swung down on his brother again and again only to be blocked with the sword’s scabbard, and Korihime wondered aloud, “the scabbard can repel Tetsusaiga?”  
  
“The great general fashioned it to put up a barrier when the sword wasn’t in it…” Getsu informed with a sagely nod, quieting when he punted his brother away with a few critical swipes and raised the sword to strike one more time before an arrow streaked to hit the broad blade, rendering the sword to its lesser form. “A sacred arrow…” she began with a glance at the archer, finding and confirming that it was Kagome who had shot the arrow.  
  
“She really is a priestess,” Korihime said thoughtfully, musing, _but if that’s the case, then she’s the reincarnation of that priestess that sealed InuYasha fifty years ago… she must be!_  
  
Kagome regripped the wood of the bow. “Sesshomaru, drop the sword or this next arrow is going in your heart!” She threatened before releasing another arrow and adding, “say goodbye to your shard!” She perked up when it missed and the dog demon flew at her.  
  
“Sesshomaru, leave her alone!” InuYasha launched himself at his brother and knocked him away, nicking his right cheek in the process as he bounced to land infront of the girl.  
  
Korihime bristled and snapped at the older dog demon, “that was uncalled for!”  
  
“This doesn't call for your commentary, Korihime.” Sesshomaru returned, ignoring her growled curse at him, resuming the squabble with his brother as the Tetsusaiga returned to its mightier form. Knocking the younger dog demon back with a solid punch to the jaw, his ears perked when another arrow streaked through the air to break the curved guard on his armor. He bristled and glared at her blue eyes as she lowered her bow, biting back, “ _that_ truly was uncalled for.”  
  
Korihime huffed as Kagome released another sacred arrow, growling slightly when he caught the arrow in hand and melted it with just the poison in his claws, “damn it…” She perked up when he swung the Tetsusaiga and sent a wide blast at where she stood and exclaimed, “Kagome!”  
  
Getsu streaked past her sister to grab Kagome and pull her out of the way, asking her with some relief, “you okay, Kagome?”  
  
“Yeah, I mean, thank you, Getsu…” Kagome smiled in likewise relief and nodded before watching the blast barrel in their direction and she declared, “Getsu!”  
  
It took all his strength to not interfere. The dog demon clenched his teeth when the attack hit both women and sent them flying. She was foolish to stick her neck out for these humans, especially if she risked getting killed protecting a simple priestess. “Getsu…” he began before his ears perked when seeing a head of ebony hair move to get up from where the women had been thrown, and he took heart in seeing she had survived the attack.  
  
Shaking her head even as she felt warm blood leak from somewhere above her left brow, the she-wolf looked on the priestess with concern, looking up when the younger dog demon called the girl’s name and came running to them before he paused when gold met silver. She nodded and assured him with some gentility, “she’s all right, I can take her… I know how important she is to you.”  
  
InuYasha quieted at her assumption and looked at the unconscious girl before nodding back. “Getsu, right? Take her to where Miroku is, tell him to protect her at all cost,” he said quietly, straightening to his feet. “But I still don’t get why you’re helping us… Sesshomaru’s your fiancé or something, isn’t he?” He wondered blandly with a dirty look sent at said dog demon.  
  
“Unfortunately…” Getsu lamented before she minded his derisive scoff and added in her defense, "though to answer your question, not every demon wants to eat humans… it's something my father believed.” She frowned as she followed his gaze that landed on his brother for a moment before hoisting Kagome up and supporting her, pointing out as she started to retreat to her sister, “that arm was given to him by a troublemaker named Naraku. He played Sesshomaru based on his hatred towards you… so, if you wanna get the sword back, start by ripping off that toy.”  
  
Korihime hurried to help her sister with the priestess when the other regrouped with them, looking past her at the _hanyou_ and smiling softly before watching him rush at his brother with renewed vigor. “He cares for her, doesn’t he?” She asked her sister.  
  
Getsu nodded and exhaled as she mused, “turns out that he’s not as much of an idiot as I thought he was… but he still barks too loudly.”  
  
Korihime smiled wryly and looked over at the brothers again to find InuYasha had stalled the next blow and got himself stabbed in the process. “InuYasha!” She declared, watching with some relief as he then yanked the arm off and retook the heirloom.  
  
“The sword’s the only thing keeping him upright…” Getsu reasoned at seeing he hardly budged while holding fast to the mighty fang, straightening to her feet and looking at her sister as she added, “we should go, Kori.”  
  
“But what about InuYasha?” Korihime asked as she looked between the named dog demon and her in surprise.  
  
“He’s a big cub, he can handle it… never mind that Sesshomaru can’t attack him like this. Let’s go,” Getsu answered with a shake of her head.  
  
Shouldering her bow as she regarded the wisdom her sister had gained in the past now present in her eyes, Korihime looked at the _hanyou_ one last time before following her lead into the wood at top speed.


	5. Gems and Silver

A collective groan came from the two-headed dragon as she fed them. The sisters had found where they had left their steed before dawn came and had been rather surprised their leader hadn’t beaten them to the small clearing.  
  
“I know, boys… sorry we took longer than expected,” she said between gently scritching Ah’s chin.  
  
She looked up from stoking the flames of a fire to see their awaited companions returned and greeted them, “about time, we were starting to wonder.”  
  
He looked to her briefly before his eyes settled on her sister who refused to look his way, his words for her as he said, “it's a shock that you’re so quiet at this hour.” He had half-expected her to slap him as she had often said she would when he was being less than chivalric, something that wouldn't surprise him after the fight they had had only hours ago, and call him every name under the sun.  
  
She huffed and looked to her sister as she beckoned, “Kori.” She caught the small medicinal kit they had brought, giving her a nod before shooting a slight scowl his way. “C'mon, your highness,” she added to him before walking away to the brush where she had recently located a creek, hearing him follow.  
  
When finding the creek, a rather peaceful location if he were to describe it, he took a seat on a sturdy log at her gesture. He watched her sit to face him and proceed to dig through the pouch to then withdraw some wrappings along with a needle and thread, frowning as he started to remind her, “I don’t need treatment…”  
  
“Either you let me be gentle or let me be rough. Regardless, I smelled burned flesh so shrug your sleeve off, go on,” she cut across with a firm tone, her silver meeting his gold with a cocked brow as she silently challenged him.  
  
The fact that she had been correct regarding Naraku and her attempts to get him to see reason the night before not only returned to the fore of his mind but damn-well sat there as their stares held. He backed down if only to get the nagging feeling out of his head, giving a soft exhale and proceeding to pull down the sleeve so she could patch him up before he looked over at the tiny river of a creek that winked sunlight as the current passed along.  
  
“… I won’t gloat and say _'I told you so'_ about that weasel…” she was saying after a little while, breaching the otherwise-tranquil quiet of the forest and causing his gaze to flick to rest on her. Catching his gaze that regarded her words, she shrugged and added in the same quiet tone, “at least not today.”  
  
Cracking a wry smirk, he regarded the white wrappings around her forehead where she’d gotten scratched before watching her draw away to stand and wet a handkerchief in the creek, commenting blandly, “you didn’t say the needle was thick.”  
  
Probably on purpose, knowing her… when she _wasn’t_ being unpredictable and fiery, she had the bad habit of being a little shit. He remembered _that_ well enough.  
  
She re-straddled the log and dabbed at what bits of burned skin were on his upper arm, catching his reflexive wince when cold water touched mending flesh. “You’re a stubborn, overgrown mutt, ya can take a teeny tiny needle poking your thick hide…” she remarked patiently.  
  
“Then I’m no longer a _‘selfish, arrogant ass_ ’, as you so sweetly put it?” He wondered, recalling her words hurled at him in frustration, as she began wrapping his arm in white wrappings.  
  
“Oh no, you’re _still_ an ass, especially after the shit you pulled last night.” She answered with a scoff, having made a face at the reminder.  
  
He huffed quietly and let her pull the sleeve back on when she finished wrapping his arm, considering their moment in the wood and looking at her again as he mused aloud, “another hundred years could pass and you’ll still be an unpredictable princess.”  
  
“Well get used to it, dog-breath! I refuse to change my mind or even reconsider what I’ve done to get so far…” she started to promise proudly before trailing off when his right hand lifted to the bandages that she sported, stiffening for a moment as his thumb traced just above the small cut she’d gotten and her heart gave an ache in her chest when his hand lowered to cup her cheek.  
  
Her silver met his gold and her scowl softened the longer their stares held.  
  
“You're a bit less unpredictable than you used to be… seems you’ve actually matured a bit, since my last visit to the north.” Sesshomaru observed, voice quiet as their stares held, before he reluctantly released her cheek.  
  
Getsu focused her sight on the flower pattern on his shoulder as she willed the rosiness in her cheeks to disappear, remarking in the same quiet tone, “you’d be surprised.” Gathering what bits of the kit remained, she straightened from the log first and looked at him as she added with a cheeky head-tilt, “let's go back, only because Jaken prolly thinks I’ve killed you off by now.”  
  
He rolled his eyes at her excuse even though she was probably right (probably), straightening as well and letting her bounce ahead to their clearing before he followed, idly minding the curve in her hips before mentally whacking himself out of staring at her ass, at least before she did it for him. “I’d think between the two of us, you would've already killed him first,” he said, earning a laugh that made his ears tingle. It had been a good amount of years since he had made her laugh.  
  
The odd couple returned to camp to find only Jaken and Ah-Un present with both parties snoring away near the fire.  
  
“Kori’s gone…” she mused as she found her sister had been gone for only a short while as her scent was starting to fade from the air of their camp.  
  
“ _’Went to investigate something, be back in a few days… don’t kill each other’._ ” He read aloud of the note left on a small log by the fire, handing it to her when she inspected it.  
  
She considered her sister's concern for a certain half-breed and groaned under her breath before wondering at large in a quiet whine, “why wasn’t I born an only child…?”

_“Somebody help me!_ ” The kit wailed as he ran as fast as his little feet could carry him away from the pack at his heels. A yelp came from him when he tripped and hit the ground.  
  
A streak of blue dove in before either monk or _hanyou_ could interfere, causing the pack of three-eyed wolves to skid to a halt short of eating the kitsune. The streak had taken the form of the younger wolf demon whose blue eyes locked on the pack. The wolves snarled and bared their teeth as they assessed the strong female before them.  
  
Exerting a thin measure of _yoki_ to make them back away, she flexed her claws as she stood her ground and commanded the pack in a tone that complimented her name, “leave here… now.”  
  
“K-Korihime!” The kitsune said in relief, watching the pack whimper and back away, his relief soon short-lived when the hulking wolf demon donned in armor that commanded them stepped up to her. “Korihime-chan, be careful!” He said worriedly.  
  
Flexing her knuckles, said she-wolf sized up the larger beast with a scoff as she believed she could take him in hand-to-hand. “Aren't _you_ an overgrown cub… ya mind explaining why you and your friends chased my kit?” She asked calmly.  
  
Never mind that, after a few quick blows, this mongrel would be at her mercy.  
  
“Out of my way, wolf wench. I’ve come for that half-breed you’re protecting, InuYasha!” The wolf demon snarled, frothing in his apparently-blind anger.  
  
Korihime flashed her fangs in return as she half-wondered what InuYasha had done to this beast.  
  
“I remember your face, now; you’re Royakan, the wolf from hell… years ago, you once served my father in combat. Why've you forsaken your occupation as guardian of the forest?” She asked curiously before lowering the bow from her shoulder to set an arrow in place and muse, _Miroku needs to get the priestess and Shippo out of here. If InuYasha leaves, Royakan will only continue hunting him… he can sense that InuYasha isn’t completely healed, so this could be a problem._  
  
“I shouldn’t have to explain myself to a brat like _you!_ ” Royakan snarled again as he regurgitated another slew of wolves that flew at her.  
  
Loosing the arrow, she froze the wolves in a wall of pink ice before hopping over the frozen pack to stomp her boots onto the wolf demon’s face.  
  
Jumping off when he tried to grab her legs, she nimbly landed a bit of a ways. “Royakan, you once served my father Lord Kiba, Great Clan head of the Western Wolf Demon Tribe; surely you should know to respect his daughter, Korihime, Princess of the West!” She stated as she had nocked another arrow as the beast snarled at her.  
  
_“I know no ties to you or your great father, wolf wench!_ ” Royakan exclaimed before regurgitating a larger host of wolves that flew at her.  
  
“Korihime-chan!” Shippo exclaimed from the side.  
  
A snarl sounded as a streak of red dove between the female and the pack, before whines and yips of pain came from the wolves as the _hanyou_ sliced them to pieces with his claws.  
  
He ducked when one wolf flew for his throat before it yelped as her left hand lashed out to snap its neck, watching her discard the dead beast. He smirked at her tenacity as their eyes met. “S’ a wonder you’re a pedigree wolf, princess,” he said between ripping into another two wolves that came from another host.  
  
“My pedigree is just a title, now…” she laughed slightly as she kicked another wolf away before using her bow to smack another as if it were a fly, shooting him a concerned glance when he growled in pain and wondering of him, “ya didn’t let it close up all the way, did you?”  
  
InuYasha huffed and sliced at another wolf that went for his neck again, trying to hide a wince when he exerted his injury. “Keh, don’t go mothering me now, pedigree!” He retorted before ducking when she swung her bow in his direction to smack away another wolf, snapping, “h-hey, watch it!”  
  
Korihime bristled as she realized that he would bleed to death if they didn't retreat now. “You should withdraw from here, Royakan,” she advised the named beast between readying another arrow that started to crystallize with two inches' worth of pink ice. When Royakan snarled at her only louder than before as she stood her ground, she let the arrow fly to stick itself in his forehead and begin encasing him in pink ice.  
  
A rumbling sounded as the beast managed to slam his paws down on the ground and make it quake with dust flying into the air to shield him, so when the dust cleared, all that was left was a crater where he had stood.  
  
_He escaped_ … she thought as she lowered the bow before looking at the _hanyou_. “My father once said that Royakan was a gentle soul… he wouldn't pull something like this, so it's safe to say that he was being used by someone.” She stated with a glance at the forest around them, wondering, _still, is he truly that desperate to get rid of InuYasha?_ Her ears perked as she looked at the beast's target who moved away to step into the open, starting with concern, “hang on…”  
  
“Naraku, where are you? Come on, fight me one-on-one!” InuYasha challenged of the forest, hearing nothing even though he sensed something, taking another step forward before the ground met his face.  
  
“InuYasha!” Korihime barked before rushing to his side as the monk, priestess, and kitsune also came forward, looking to the monk as she urged, “Miroku, help me carry him.”

A frustrated growl came from him as he gave another angered kick to the door and shouted, “let me out of here!” He had been stuck in this damn hut for the last three days, on strict orders from that monk and Granny Kaede, and as it had been two days by now, his imprisonment had driven him up at least two proverbial walls.  
  
“Hey calm down, InuYasha, you’re gonna wake Kori-chan!” The kit declared when he took a breath, scowling up at him.  
  
The _hanyou_ started to demand where the named female was when seeing her seated against the wall by the thin bales of hay with her eyes closed in sleep and her bow and quiver at her left side.  
  
Recalling her concern for him when she had kept Royakan from tearing him a new one, he looked away with a huff and mused, voice quieted but still carrying an off-handed tone, “tch, I’m shocked she’s still here… that asshole is prolly worried about where she went but, knowing him, he wouldn't bother to come lookin' for her.”  
  
“Only because my sister is with him,” the she-wolf mused before giving a yawn, opening her eyes to calmly regard his narrowed stare and add, "'sides, between them, she's _way_ scarier when pissed off. It's not like I can leave here either, considerin' Miroku and Granny Kaede have sealed the doors with sutras to keep other demons from getting at you while you’re recovering.”  
  
“And since you're locked in here, that gives _you_ plenty chance to patch me up,” InuYasha accused, half-wondering how strong both wolf sisters really were based on what he had witnessed, giving a huff when both the named princess and kitsune gave a sagely nod.  
  
Korihime looked at the door when it opened moments later for Miroku and Granny Kaede to enter, deadpanning as her _“patient_ ” tried to leave the hut only to be smacked between the eyes by the monk’s staff as the priestess resealed the door behind their entrance. “You’re worse than a hyperactive jumping bean…” she muttered as she stood to begin another session, her palms glowing with a lilac light as she got to work.  
  
“We need you to recover your strength so we can defeat Naraku, otherwise our lives will be short-lived.” Miroku said as he watched the wolf heal his friend. Like InuYasha, he had also been curious on the sisters, though he half-suspected they were formidable only because of their esteemed clan.  
  
Bristling, InuYasha straightened a bit to glare at him as he stated tersely, “are you a man or a mouse, Miroku? I for one am ready to fight Naraku, here and now!”  
  
Sharply smacking the back of his head, Korihime let him stagger back down so she could continue healing him. “The hell you are! You’re not completely invincible, dumbass, and besides, I’m not finished! One more day and you’ll be ready to walk outta here, okay?” She said stubbornly.  
  
Rubbing his head with care and regarding her stern gaze that held his indignant one, he muttered a _‘keh_ ’ and settled back down to let her work. “One day,” he agreed, earning a nod from her. 

So far he was doing better than he had been a few days ago, and she took comfort in that… it was a damn shame that Royakan made a comeback so early in the day.  
  
Getsu was going to have her head… probably.  
  
“I’m really starting to hate that pest!” Korihime growled out as she moved aside when the beast tossed her _“patient_ ” away as if he were a rag-doll, rushing forward to deliver sharp kicks and love-taps to the wolf demon before skirting away when he swiped at her.  
  
_If he’s being controlled by Naraku then that means he’s pushed a shard of the Sacred Jewel on him, but the question is where_ , she thought as she drew a dagger from her quiver and perked up when Royakan barreled past her for something he had seen. Following his gaze, she caught sight of the coveted gem that had been dropped by InuYasha. “No!” She growled, _yoki_ spiking, before she bolted after the beast.  
  
A guttural roar came from the monster, surprising the _hanyou_ who had scrambled to grab the gem and regarded the smaller wolf demon who stuck her dagger into the thick mane on Royakan's back. He flailed and reached to grab for the pesky female to latch onto her right leg with victory, sending her flying with a yelp.  
  
“Kori-chan!” The kit exclaimed at seeing her be thrown away before he snatched the jewel chunk from the ground, running in her direction just as the wolf beast loosed a pack of wolves on his heels.  
  
Looking up as she gathered herself, Korihime shook her head and ordered the kit who ran to her, “forget me, run for it! Don’t stop, whatever you do, Shippo! Go!” She regarded the conflicted look that crossed his young face before the kitsune spirited out of sight.  
  
“The hell didja do that for? Shippo has the rest of the Jewel!” InuYasha barked at her as he stood, slicing at a wolf as Royakan unleashed another volley at them.  
  
Korihime smacked another wolf away with her bow and slashed at the next as she returned, “he’s faster than either of us, and besides, he’ll find Kagome!”  
  
She was hardly one to believe in humans after her parents had died, but Kagome was the glue of this ragtag pack, and it was because of her that they would beat Royakan and Naraku.  
  
She could only hope, anyway.

A squawked yelp sounded as the imp jumped a foot in the air at being surprised by her return.  
  
“You took forever, I was about to go look for you.” Getsu greeted lightly, snickering at the spooked toad.  
  
Korihime rolled her eyes after placing her bow and quiver with Ah-Un, plonking down on her sister's log and remarking, “I’m a big girl, I think I can take care of myself by this point, _Onee-chan_.”  
  
“You didn’t really explain yourself in your note,” Sesshomaru pointed out from the other side of the small fire, regarding the family resemblance with a wry look.  
  
Stifling a yawn before sobering at his reminder, Korihime nodded and admitted, “oh, right… well, I left to do some investigating on your new friend, Naraku… turns out he’s a _bigger_ pain in the ass than we thought.” Half-hoping he wouldn't get _too_ angry with what she was about to say, she then recounted to both of her companions about her adventure.  
  
“You _helped_ InuYasha… out of pity, I hope.” Sesshomaru was first to speak after her tale, looking at her with tightened gold eyes.  
  
“I was given the gift of healing, so I can help whoever the hell I want… never mind that your sibling horseshit isn't _my_ fault.” Korihime defended as she folded her arms at her chest, frowning back.  
  
“She received information regarding that pest, Sesshomaru, it’s not as if she went sniffing after InuYasha.” Getsu agreed with her sister, regarding his incredulous glance sent her way with a raised brow.  
  
Sesshomaru sobered and looked away to muse aloud, “you might have a point… _might_. It would be a disgrace to your father's memory if one of his daughters were to take interest in a _hanyou_ as lowly as him, though.”  
  
Korihime pretended her pale cheeks weren't pink out of embarrassment at having her love life be criticized, returning to the main point of their conversation with a pensive tone, “from what I gathered, I believe Naraku is a _hanyou_ , too… it only makes sense.”  
  
Getsu wrinkled her nose and mused scathingly, “so explains the instinctive urge I had to burn him on the spot.”  
  
“ _You’re_ taking an interest in this, now?” Sesshomaru wondered as he looked at her.  
  
“Only because he tricked you into almost losing the rest of your arm… you're an ass under most circumstances but you’re part of our pack now, and I'd rather Papa _not_ haunt me for not lookin' out for you.” Getsu explained, feeling her own cheeks burn before she gave a sniff and looked away from his curious gaze.  
  
It wasn’t like there was another reason for her to do so, anyway… _was there?_  
  
Heeding her words, his gold eyes softened a bit and he nodded before looking to the fire as he mused in what both women thought was a light tone, “then I might die of shock at your being less impossible, today, princess.”  
  
“Shut up or I kill you and lighten my conscience altogether,” she threatened as she glared daggers at him, ignoring the giggle from her sister.


	6. Royals

At hearing her stomach growl, the other two paused and looked at the sheepish she-wolf.  
  
“You can’t be hungry at a time like _this_ …” he said in disbelief, resisting the urge to slap his forehead at her ill timing.  
  
She scowled and defended with a scoff, “well, excuse me for smelling cooking toad! It’s not _my_ fault your sense of smell is duller than mine.”  
  
“We haven’t eaten cooked newt in years… though if worse comes to worse, we can feed Jaken to whatever idiotic beast crosses our path. Cooked toad is pretty good next to newt,” her sister pointed out, pouting a bit at the smell that had her own stomach grumbling, gesturing to where the imp had been before scurrying ahead of them to look for the smithy.  
  
Sesshomaru chose to stride after the imp rather than bicker with his fiancé, again, and blandly remarked to the younger of the two females, “I don’t think that would be a good barter, Kori.” Ironically he got along better with her, in comparison to the woman he would marry, leaving him to wonder if their demeamors hadn't been switched at birth by accident.  
  
Getsu blew a raspberry at his back before regarding the vacant skeleton of a demon that had been fortified as a shelter and musing aloud, “guess he’s not home…”  
  
_He can't be far off, then_ , Korihime thought as she rolled her eyes when Jaken flinched at their arrival and began apologizing to his master, sniffing the air with a raised brow.  
  
“…the smithy Totosai is an odd fellow, I've heard, as it's said that he won’t make a sword for someone he doesn’t like.” Jaken admitted, drawing the girls from their thoughts.  
  
“Never mind that he didn't leave you a shiny new sword… I believe Totosai-san and I will get along swimmingly!” Getsu said brightly, causing her sister to barely stifle an amused snort, turning about to retreat to their steed as Korihime tailed her. “C'mon, Your Highness, he can’t have gotten far,” she added to him over her shoulder.  
  
Sesshomaru smiled ruefully at her sass, earning a wince from his servant, before he followed his companions. _She never changes_ , he thought as his gold eyes fell on her head of ebony in the lead.

The flea looked on his friend as he said, “I’ve never heard this! Describe him.”  
  
“He’s got white hair and wears a big furry stole, and nice clothes…” the smithy answered thoughtfully.  
  
He deadpanned and guessed boredly, “so he’s another old geezer like you?”  
  
“Well he didn’t look old to me!” He scoffed.  
  
She poked her head in and pointed out, “hang on, if he’s not old and wants a sword stronger than the Tetsusaiga…”  
  
“Never mind that he’s a jerk,” she lamented with a sigh, snickering when her intrusion caused everyone to startle and smiling serenely when six sets of eyes rounded on her, greeting, “been a while!”  
  
Bristling at being spooked, he stomped up to her first and demanded in return, “the hell was that for? Ya scared the crap outta me, Korihime!”  
  
Conking him between the eyes with her bow, the named she-wolf watched him flinch and remarked calmly, “you're as loud as ever _too_ , InuYasha. Thanks for nearly makin' me deaf with your barking…”  
  
“Kori-chan, what brings you here?” Kagome asked while the named half-breed grumbled behind her between rubbing his bruised forehead with care.  
  
Korihime smiled when she received a hug from the kitsune and answered with a shrug, “we went to look for some smithy and followed his scent here… moreso _Onee-chan_ and me, given our noses are sharper than his.” She raised a brow when the old smithy near her stiffened as three out of the four of the odd group shared a look and she pouted slightly as she dared ask, “what’s that for…?”  
  
“He’s here!” Totosai said grimly as he looked heavenward, causing the rest of the party to see said dog demon descending towards them astride Ah-Un.  
  
“Sesshomaru!” InuYasha grumbled, bristling on reflex at seeing his brother present.  
  
The demon slayer frowned and asked, “so who's he?”  
  
“InuYasha’s older brother… and my fiancé.” Getsu informed blandly as she came to join them, deadpanning when the human trio jumped at her appearing from out of thin air, adding patiently, “I thought my sister already spooked you lot…”  
  
Sesshomaru briefly raised a brow as he looked to the smithy, “so, Totosai, you decided to betray me by dealing with that half-breed.”  
  
“To punish you, yes!” Totosai put in warily, earning a glance from the older she-wolf.  
  
He was either insane or crafty to mouth off to Sesshomaru like that… she hoped on the latter, at least for his sake.  
  
“You sound like you’re wanting to die early, Totosai!” He accused calmly as the smithy ducked behind his brother again.  
  
Said elder remarked from behind his shield, “w-well not really… maybe after you beat InuYasha, I’ll make that sword for you after all...”  
  
“ **Seriously**?” Both younger canines demanded in chorus as his shield gave him a death glare while Getsu deadpanned again.  
  
He scoffed as he hopped off the dragon and reminded, “don’t forget what you just said, Totosai… you heard, didn't you, InuYasha? He’ll forge a sword for me in the imminent event of your death.” He then descended to strike at his brother.  
  
“It’s _imminent_ that they’re both idiots…” Getsu mused aloud with a scoff as she and the humans plus her sister decided to stand clear of the two siblings.  
  
Korihime nodded along and said, “damn right... I really hope the great general wasn't as foolhardy as his sons, when he was younger. Never mind that Father would've said so…”  
  
She deadpanned when the older of the two brothers ducked the younger’s blow before knocking him back in time to then punch him in the stomach and send him flying, glancing at her sister and adding, “… maybe you were right all along, Getsu.”  
  
“Huh, he’s not good at all. Oi Myoga, has InuYasha really mastered the Tetsusaiga?” Totosai wondered as he looked at the vassal on his shoulder.  
  
Myoga replied sheepishly, “well, he’s at least trying…”  
  
“Of course he has! Besides, every time they duke it out, Sesshomaru is usually the one being cowed by InuYasha!” Kagome defended.  
  
Totosai looked at her as he asked, “are you quite sure _you’re_ not the one who’s dreaming, miss?” He then apologized when she conked him with his own mallet in response.  
  
Sesshomaru looked at the smithy as he pointed out, “don’t you feel an ounce of pity for the Tetsusaiga, Totosai? It’s been reduced to a giant club that InuYasha swings around. A sword can live or die depending on who wields it.”  
  
_Unfortunately, he has a point,_ Getsu thought in reluctant agreement as InuYasha got back up to rush at his brother with the heirloom sword swinging.  
  
“You still don’t intend on making a sword for me, Totosai?” Sesshomaru wondered blandly as he stalled his brother by letting the poison in his claws burn the other’s wrist.  
  
“No way!” Totosai declined as he spouted a wide flamethrower from his mouth, missing one brother and unfortunately burning the other.  
  
The former landed nimbly on the other side of the small firewall and asked again, “so you refuse to make me a sword?”  
  
“Keep your mouth shut, you overgrown dog! I’ve already fashioned a fine sword for you from your father's fang, the Tensaiga. _'Tensaiga for the older and Tetsusaiga for the younger,_ ' that was his last will! That is a sword of swords, no greater or less than the Tetsusaiga, so you should love it more than you currently do.” Totosai stated pointedly.  
  
“That’s odd, isn't it, given in previous battles before now I’ve never seen Sesshomaru draw that sword from its scabbard.” Miroku observed as he looked at the priestess.  
  
“Totosai was the one who forged both swords, though… Getsu, you know more about Sesshomaru than any of us, why doesn’t he use the sword he was given?” Kagome agreed before looking at the older of the wolf sisters.  
  
Getsu looked past the flames with a frown as she began, “well, it’s kind of a long story…”  
  
“Are you saying that I’m only worthy of this useless sword that can’t cut?” Sesshomaru demanded coldly of the smithy.  
  
“Welp if you’re that angry, then I guess I’ll take my leave!” Totosai laughed nervously before he slammed the mallet down on the ground and created a wide pond of lava that separated them from the dog demon.  
  
Korihime looked at her sister with a smirk as she advised, “I’ll stick around with them, so you get the pleasure of dealing with your husband-to-be.”  
  
Getsu made a face and nodded back with a likewise smirk, “have fun dealing with the old sod.” She then whistled for the dragon and hopped up when it hovered above, disappearing into the smoke-filled sky.

“She should choose a side, you realize.”  
  
“She’s not my child, she can go where she pleases… why is that such a problem with you?”  
  
“It isn’t… you're the head of your clan, now, and I'm only reminding you of your authority.”  
  
She almost stopped walking, bristling a bit at his words, before remarking with a somewhat-sore tone, “what _clan_ … they died with my parents, remember? It's just Korihime and me who're the only ones left in the north.”  
  
“Regardless, as the firstborn you were destined to lead your clan when your father passed on… you remain Getsuei Lady of the West, to the rest of the world.” He said matter-of-factly, refraining from adding that she would inherit the entirety of the western lands when they were to marry, adding in the same tone, “your pedigree never dies, no matter how far you run from it.”  
  
Hating that he was right, which she wouldn't admit to anytime soon, she gave a short exhale and admitted, “as much as I loved my father and mother, I can’t see myself being just a noble. I wasn't raised to bat my eyelashes and show my belly to whichever man Papa chose for me, so I'm sorry if that's what you were expecting.”  
  
There wasn't a chance in hell she would conform to what he _or_ the world wanted, not if she had a say in it.  
  
“If we _hadn't_ reunited fifty years ago, I would’ve expected those things.” He reasoned, minding that she calmed a bit and looked his way, looking back and adding, “you're too proud and cocky to ever be a doting bride, and I wager that Lord Kiba knew so.” Never mind that she was a spitfire with a kind heart, and he liked that about her.  
  
Getsu’s eyes softened for a moment before she closed them and sighed lightly, “that's the nicest thing you’ve said to me in a long time… but _don't_ think you've won yet, considerin' you can’t bed me with sweet words, my dear lord.” She opened her eyes to regard the somewhat-flustered glint in his gold eyes and smiled before bouncing ahead of him along the green bar of the marsh.  
  
Mouth having opened a bit to retort before closing into a disgruntled line, Sesshomaru pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled as he grumbled, “it'd be _easier_ …” Though neither of the girls were so loose, if the stories he had heard held merit, as they were both challenging in and of themselves.  
  
“I had all-but forgotten about your sword being forged from your father’s fang, Milord. Although I’m extremely curious about its true power! It’s almost like both swords are brothers… o-oh, but I in no way meant to compare the swords to you and InuYasha…!” Jaken declared nervously, following his master when they started after the she-wolf.  
  
“You truly want to know, Jaken…?” Sesshomaru wondered as the imp turned to him while he drew the sword from its scabbard.  
  
Getsu huffed as she added in, “I’ve actually heard little about it, myself…” Ears perking at hearing the sword swing on the imp, she stopped and turned to see him be felled with a shocked look on his face, giving her counterpart a look and pointing out, “I know he’s an irritant sometimes, but ya didn’t need to act so rashly, Sesshomaru…”  
  
“Get up, Jaken.” He ordered calmly as the imp balked at realizing he wasn’t dead and watched him scramble to his feet.  
  
“Totosai-san mentioned that about the Tensaiga, that it couldn't cut. I've never seen a sword that can’t kill, though…” she pondered.  
  
Ears twitching as bubbling sounded from the pond on their right, she raised both brows when a slithering dragon rose up from the churning waters with a roar, giving a huff as the imp flailed and scrambled behind his master. Drawing her sword after they both hopped out of the way of its swinging tail, she swung the blade from the left in a sharp arc and sang annoyedly, “you’re rather noisy, aren’t you!”  
  
A wide arc of teal energy screamed at the beast and ripped the left side off with the head included. Both canines landed nimbly on the marsh bank as the dragon’s sliced remains dropped into the shallow water before them with two muffled splashes.  
  
“My father only told me a handful of times about your sword. It was forged from your great-grandmother’s fang, from what he said, and she named it the Mangetsuga in reverence to your clan’s glory.” Sesshomaru mused thoughtfully as moonlight winked off the silvery blade, his gaze traveling from the katana to rest on her likewise-thoughtful silver eyes.  
  
Getsu afforded a small smile and returned the heirloom to its place at her hip. “He forgot to mention that granny Hitomi had it forged a few years before she died,” she replied before quieting with a raised brow when he approached the dead dragon.  
  
Lifting the severed left arm, Sesshomaru looked over at her as he smirked slightly and said, “at least _one_ heirloom has been of use tonight.”  
  
Maybe slaying the dragon _wasn’t_ such a good idea, after all…

Wincing when the blade rang like a shrill chime, she sharply looked at her sister and asked, “what possessed him to grab a dragon’s paw, and where'd he get it, anyway?”  
  
“Long story short, I got rid of a pest,” her sister explained dryly before watching as their alpha knocked his brother back again and again to send him skidding into the ground yards away, adding with a frown, “but he’ll break the sword if he keeps striking it like this…”  
  
“InuYasha!” The demon slayer barked as she started to go to his aid when a clawed hand grabbed her arm and she looked at the younger of the two sisters with surprise, “Korihime…”  
  
“Let him fight with what honor he has, Sango! He’s gotten this far without any help, he’ll be okay.” She assured patiently, looking past her at the fighting siblings. _I hope, anyway, for his sake_.  
  
“Or die trying, you mean…” her sister grumbled before perking up with likewise surprise when the younger of the brothers blocked a strike from the older using his forehead and musing, “holy… he’s protecting Tetsusaiga from being broken…!”  
  
There were times when she didn’t have an ounce of faith in his ability to be more than what he had born to be but, ironically, this was _not_ one of those times.  
  
“I can smell the wind scraping…!” The _hanyou_ ’s voiced thought caught the ear of both she-wolves as everyone watched in amazement when he sent a blast of yellow energy screaming at where his brother stood.  
  
She beamed and said in awe, “he did it, he saw the Wind Scar!” Her blue eyes sharpened at seeing her sister break away to rush into the battle, calling with worry, “Getsu!”  
  
“ _Sesshomaru!”_ She exclaimed, unsure if it was her emotions or lesser half were commanding she save him, latching onto his arm just as they both disappeared in a dark blue ball of light.


	7. Irises

Her lesser half whined loudly in her ears as she stared into the red slits of the dog demon whose eyes were usually gold.  
  
She’d awoken before he had as she had remained unscathed, and she somewhat regretted shaking him awake to see if he was all right, if being pinned to the tree by the bristling dog demon's grip on her yukata collar was any indication.  
  
Exhaling through her nose, she lifted both hands to cup his face, feeling him freeze in her grasp as their stares held. “Sesshomaru.” She said in a gentle tone, voice soft, sensing and watching him return to his better half.  
  
He closed his eyes tight as he breathed in and then out rather tiredly, opening his eyes for her to see the red was gone to be replaced with gold. He regarded the calm look on her lovely face that was framed by her disheveled mane of ebony hair… “are you hurt?” He asked with concern that she seemed surprised to hear.  
  
Getsu felt her ears burn before she shook off the mild surprise, replying in a likewise quieted voice, “no, I'm fine… I was more worried for you,” she cleared her throat and added with a slight laugh, “you look like shit.”  
  
Sesshomaru scoffed under his breath at her observation, feeling his own face heat up at recognizing her hands were still there, glancing at her wrists before she removed her hands and looked away as he sat back on his knees. “Your concern is misplaced again…” he mused aloud as he frowned when minding the indentations in her shoulder his claws had left.  
  
“I don’t see how,” she protested with a pout weighing on her lips before they pursed and she sat back against the tree, challenging coolly, “enlighten me how my ‘ _concern is misplaced’_ …”  
  
All she did was show concern for his arrogant ass, what the hell was wrong with that? Better yet, how dare he tell her what to worry over!  
  
“Because you should worry about _yourself_ first before anyone else!” He snapped with a sharp gold glare that met her surprised silver stare.  
  
A growl came from her throat as she retorted proudly, “I can take care of myself perfectly fine, Sesshomaru, _you’re_ the one who needs worrying over, okay? Didja even consider letting _that_ sink into your dense skull?”  
  
“ _Concern_ and _pity_ are two different things, Getsuei. Your staying with me because of my missing arm is a piss-poor excuse for pity!” He argued.  
  
“ _I'm not doin' it because of that, Sesshomaru!”_ She shouted, her volume seeming to hurt both of their ears for a moment, adding hotly, “I honestly care about you when your half-assed plans get you hurt because… because I can’t lose anyone else. I just can’t.” Her voice was cracked in places he didn’t realize were there, and she clamped her mouth shut to regard the scratches on his armor in a vain attempt of warding off tears. She stiffened slightly when, what felt like a century later, he brushed a stray tear from her cheek and she closed her eyes to then pull him close by her arms around his neck.  
  
He held onto her for what seemed hours and allowed a wry smile at finally holding her, the part of him that had grown fond of her in the last span of time glad for it.  
  
Though she wouldn't swoon so easily, he realized, as she was impulsive, and broken in her own way, and… and damn it all if he wanted her like that if only so she wouldn't be in pain so long as he was present.  
  
Night had descended on them within a few hours.  
  
Much to his displeasure, she had urged he rest after the taxing day he’d had, but he’d listened anyway. He wasn't _too_ disappointed, though, as she had fallen asleep curled up at his side not long after.  
  
She looked peaceful when she slept, as if she hadn’t been through the trauma of losing her home… gold eyes lifting from watching her sleep to regard the darkened clearing, he watched their little visitor finish depositing a large leaf with mushrooms and a cooked fish to then sneak away back into the forest.  
  
He bristled a bit in defense of his fiancé and pointed out in a quiet tone, “you’re wasting your time, girl. I don’t eat human food.”  
  
The girl child looked back at him before she turned away to continue on into the darkness.

Sniffing the air, he poked his head above her and asked, “since when do wolves eat cooked newt?”  
  
“Since it’s none of your business.” She said between shooing his nose away, ignoring the disgruntled growl as she roasted the dead lizards and added calmly, “'sides, these are for Getsu and me. Cooked newt was something of a delicacy around our home, and we only got it whenever we went with Father to a nearby village.”  
  
The _hanyou_ gave a _‘humph_ ’ as he sat next to her with his arms folded in his sleeves. “Y’know given you and your sister are pedigree wolf demons, ya sure act like humans.” He observed, glad for the quiet of the night as his companions were sleeping soundly nearby.  
  
“Father told us to never eat humans because we coexist with them and we'd have to do so for the foreseeable future… guess that's why he and your father got along.” The she-wolf answered with a shrug, lifting another newt from the leaf she’d placed them on and putting it in the fire.  
  
InuYasha pretended his stomach didn’t growl as he inhaled the cooking meat scent, asking with a cocked brow, “but it was _humans_ who killed your parents, right? I mean, no demon is dumb enough to go after a clan head like your father, 'least I don’t think, and ya don’t talk much about your being the only wolf demons who’ve come down from the north.”  
  
Korihime quieted at that before she turned the newest lizard over with an exhale, voice melancholic as she recounted, “they did, yeah. When a plague struck the village near our home, they thought we were devouring their sick to end their misery, so they rose up. There were more of them than us so Father made me and Getsu run when they came to our door. We didn’t stop running until we felt we were clear of our old territory… Getsu doesn’t like talkin' about it, but she holds Father's teachings in high regard, despite anything, because that’s how we can honor him and Mum.”  
  
She looked away from the fire to see he was watching the lizard cook with pensive gold eyes, and her blue eyes softened slightly before she took his hand and put the newest cooked newt in his grasp.  
  
Gold held blue before InuYasha took a bite of the meat and munched. “No wonder you got along with Sango… your story kinda sounds like hers,” he mused with a glance back at the humans.  
  
“Sorta, but Naraku would be dead by now if he had pulled the strings on our clan’s demise. Getsu and I would see to it,” Korihime countered between nodding a bit before she wrapped the cooked and cooled newts in another large leaf.  
  
InuYasha snorted under his breath at that as he said off-handedly, “I’ve seen enough to know _that_ … though the both of ya are pretty weird for bein’ full demons. Guess that’s because ya travel with Sesshomaru… _ow!_ ” He yelped when she conked him with her bow again, covering his head with both hands and adding, “K-Kori, what the hell!”  
  
“It's a shock that both you and your brother are idiotic mutts considerin’ your esteemed father…” Korihime lamented as she placed the leaf parcel in her quiver’s pouch, smiling cheerily when hearing a _'humph_ ' from him.

Stretching the kinks out of her arms, she looked at her companion with some surprise at finding he had fallen asleep. Her eyes softened at the sight as she hadn’t seen him look so peaceful in years, before she caught whiff of mushrooms and fish nearby that caused her stomach to give a quiet growl.  
  
Shuffling as quietly as possible away from him to let him rest, she located the food that had been placed on a large leaf a yard or so away and grinned at her stroke of luck.  
  
After sniffing the cooked fish to ensure that it wasn't poisoned, she took a decent chunk out of its side and then looked up at hearing shuffling to meet the brown eye of their visitor who had returned to the clearing with a bamboo shaft filled with water.  
  
The girl gave a slight gasp at being spooked, causing the she-wolf to lower the fish and quiet her with a gentle tone in her voice, “it's okay, I'm not gonna hurt you, honest. I wondered who had been kind enough to bring food. Sorry for spookin' you, too… thank you for helping.”  
  
The girl nodded and smiled at her, earning a returning smile from the she-wolf.  
  
Getsu introduced, “my name’s Getsu… if ya wouldn't mind, what's yours?” She raised a brow as the girl’s smile fell before she looked elsewhere, causing her to add quietly, “ya don’t have to, I understand if you don’t wanna…”  
  
“Why does this _not_ surprise me?” Sesshomaru half-sighed the question, regarding that his counterpart stiffened at hearing him speak, cocking a brow as she turned to look at him.  
  
“Glad to see ya back from the land of the dead,” Getsu retorted with an eye-roll as she regained her composure, taking the water to give it to him. “If you’re not gonna eat, then at least drink this,” she added when he scowled from her to the bottle, her face brightening with a smile when he reluctantly took it.  
  
Sesshomaru minded her smile before looking to the girl with a frown at seeing her fresh bruises and one swollen eye, asking, “where'd you get those bruises? You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, I’m just asking…” He blinked once when the girl smiled brightly and showed a missing baby tooth at gaining his attention, before his brow set into a scowl.  
  
He looked away and added indifferently, “what’s that smile for? I just asked a question, I’m not curious at all.”  
  
“Be nice,” she scolded as she conked him with a fist, earning a wince from him, firmly crossing her arms at her chest and scowling.  
  
He rubbed his head and looked up at her through one eye as he groused, “I forgot about your iron fists… I was just asking a question of the girl…”  
  
She huffed and retorted knowingly, “horseshit, ya were being a grump to an innocent pup. Never mind that you’re not completely invincible… we all need help sometimes, _some_ more than others.”  
  
“And what is _that_ supposed to mean?” Sesshomaru demanded, feeling and ignoring the twitch in his brow at her implication.  
  
Getsu started to answer when they both heard giggling, causing them to look at the girl who found their arguing to be funny. Her eyes softened and she chuckled, missing the curious look she earned from him.

Boots coming to a halt, she sniffed the air and looked ahead, a disgusted growl brewing in her throat as she followed the scent and mused quietly, “this doesn’t smell right…”  
  
She had left the odd pack at dawn and had since been tracking her sister’s scent deeper into the forest, but this new scent made her stomach lurch. It was familiar, however distantly, but the stench of slaughter that surrounded the familiar scent was what had her attention.  
  
“…you guys have your fill and I’ll go on ahead.” He trailed off at hearing wind catch on the flying projectile, and he hopped to the side as an arrow whizzed past his left ear from the shade of the trees. “You’re not bein’ very sneaky, you know!” He called to the archer.  
  
Having nocked another arrow, Korihime stepped into the open as she acknowledged the wolf pack that had growled a bit at her intrusion, narrowed gaze lifting to regard their alpha who was handsome in his own rugged and arrogant way; she bristled a bit at finding he had possession of a few shards of the Shikon Jewel. It was difficult to forget his tanned face, though, given she had seen him once many years ago.  
  
“I can’t sneak by ya with _your_ keen nose, can I, Koga?” She returned.  
  
Blue eyes recognizing the princess whose likewise blue eyes were hard, the clan head huffed and placed his hands at his sides as he ignored his pack's disgruntlement.  
  
“I _thought_ that was you, Korihime… guess it's been fifty years, yeah? I’m shocked you’re this far east, considering your clan usually sticks close to the northern mountains.” He wondered lightly with a smirk on his face.  
  
“It's been over _a century_ , and we've changed locations since. What’re you doing _here_ , Koga? This whole place reeks of human bloodshed… you remember my father’s policy on humans.” Korihime returned with frost in her tone.  
  
“So you’re still upholding his _“peacekeeper_ ” policy after all this time. I was chasing some moron who stole a jewel shard from me, and just so happened to catch him in this tiny village.” He answered coolly, having given a slight snort at the reminder.  
  
She bristled slightly in renewed disgust and pointed out, “then tell me why you let your wolves pillage these people's village, they’re not the ones who stole from you!”  
  
He lifted his hands up in surrender and defended, “hey, relax, princess! What I do is my business, 'less you’ve got a problem with it. And besides, from what happened to _your_ clan, I’m surprised you’re so soft on these weak creatures.”  
  
“Funny ya mention, I actually _do_ have a problem with it...” she growled, at last loosing the arrow that sailed past him to cut down one of his wolves, adding as the rest of the pack snarled at her, “I don’t understand how or why a pigheaded mutt like you would be picked by my father!”  
  
“Why not say that a little louder?” Koga drawled bitingly, lifting a hand to egg her on as their near identical blue gazes clashed.  
  
Knowing that she would hear about this one way or another as she shouldered her bow, Korihime rushed him with a snarl.

“Were you truly testing the Tensaiga on me, you ungrateful dog!” Jaken squawked before yelping when a rock hit the side of his head and knocked him off the dragon’s back.  
  
Getsu handed him the next pebble and smirked as she mused lightly, “good throw, but I think I’ve got a couple of knives you could’ve used instead…”  
  
Zipping to stand atop Ah’s head, the imp shouted, “how dare you speak so callously towards me, wolf wench…” he squawked again when the second pebble hit him and knocked him down again.  
  
“That is _my fiancé_ you’re insulting… besides, I expected a cheerful welcome instead of an _interrogation_ , Jaken.” Sesshomaru huffed blandly.  
  
A breeze stole into the meadow they stood in and carried with it the scent of blood.  
  
“I'm _shocked_ you two didn't go off to get married already.” Korihime chuckled and smiled wryly at seeing her companions as she slightly limped towards them. There were rips in her kimono and scuffs and dirt, along with a few bruises and cuts, but otherwise she remained her usual chipper self.  
  
Getsu rushed to her sister’s side and hugged her tight. “Korihime!” She said in shock, regarding the other's wince when she hugged her sensitive ribs with a scowl, demanding in a quiet tone, “who did this to you?”  
  
“Well, you remember Koga, the wolf that Father promised me to? He’s come down from the mountains… got a couple of shards too, to make himself stronger.” Korihime explained in the same tone, regarding the angered darkening in her sister’s eyes and adding with a guilty look, _“Onee-chan_ , I couldn’t help it. He pissed me off and then let his wolves destroy the village… I’m sorry.”  
  
“No, Kori, you did what you thought was right… I’m just glad you’re back.” Getsu assured with a gentle smile, earning a relieved look in return, before she helped her over to their steed. She was first to stop at catching the familiar scent that came in on another breeze, looking at him as he recognized it too, “Sesshomaru…” she began.  
  
“Let’s go,” he quieted her with a nod when minding the worry in her eyes, leading Ah-Un to stop short of the sisters for the younger of the two to hoist herself onto their back.  
  
She smiled at her sister before following him as he took off in the direction the scent led with the imp at their heels.  
  
Patting the steed's shoulder gently, the younger wolf gave a relieved sigh as she admitted, "I missed you guys, too."  
  
A growl came from her throat as she approached the girl when they found her, her nose wrinkling at the stink of death, as she mused quietly, “poor pup, she must’ve been looking for you when the wolves attacked her… I can’t believe he came down just to pull this stunt.” Unless Korihime made amends or saw him in a better light, what Koga had done was unforgivable to her.  
  
“One more test,” he mused and elaborated when she looked at him, “I’ll test the Tensaiga one more time.”  
  
Surprised when he drew the Tensaiga, he looked at the four imps from the underworld that hovered around the girl’s body and, with a single swing of the blade, he caused the imps to disappear. He lowered slightly to lift the girl into the crook of his arm, ears perking when they both heard her heartbeat and watched with surprise as she opened her big brown eyes up at him.  
  
“It worked!” Jaken said in shock as Getsu also gaped at the sight, perking up when the dog demon set the girl down to then leave the forest path.  
  
Getsu jogged after him and caught up. “So it can save a hundred souls with one swing,” she didn't make it a question.  
  
“How'd you guess?” Sesshomaru replied with a nod, looking at her.  
  
“It’s just a hunch. Papa told me the Tetsusaiga could fell one hundred with one swing, and I figured that if it could _slay_ then Tensaiga could _save_.” She explained with a shrug, looking at him when hearing a slight scoff and asking with a slight sigh, “what now?”  
  
“I didn’t save her for _you_ , I just… it was a test, that’s all.” He stated.  
  
Feeling her brow twitch before she smiled wryly at his lie, she elbowed him and mused lightly, “or you’re finally softenin' up after so many years…” Feeling someone tug on her obi from behind, she stopped first to see the girl had followed them and her face brightened with a smile. “You look better now,” she said as she crouched before her.  
  
The girl nodded and smiled at her. “I am, thank you for saving me,” she said with admiration before looking past the she-wolf to her companion and receiving a slight nod from him.  
  
“You’d be safer coming with us, y’know… but I think you’ve already decided on that, haven’t ya?” She guessed with a gentle look, straightening to follow her companions with the girl at her side and adding as the thought came to her, “you never told me your name.”  
  
“Oh, um, I…” the girl’s brightened face sobered as she looked away for a moment.  
  
“Rin,” he looked back at both females and met her slightly confused silver eyes as he elaborated, “her name is _‘Rin_ ’.”  
  
The girl nodded and beamed, “that's it!”  
  
Face softening with a nod, she stooped to urge the girl get on her back and straightened with a laugh from their new companion, “then it's nice to meet ya, Rin!”  
  
Sesshomaru had the slightest feeling that he had stuck his foot in his mouth… _again_.


	8. Like Lightning

“I beat you!” Rin cheered as she was first to reach the site.  
  
Puffing as he came to a stop next to her, Jaken wheezed a retort, “it wasn’t a race!”  
  
“Own up to it, frog, ya know the younger ones always win…” Korihime barked a laugh as she had ran after the two.  
  
Like her sister if not more thrilled about it, she had immediately taken to Rin given both of them were happy to have another female around. If the necessity came, though, she was deemed the official pupsitter as Sesshomaru found she was better suited for it.  
  
Getsu whacked the back of her head as she came in last, folding her arms and musing in a knowing tone, “just when an _archery contest_ is involved… 'sides, I’m faster.” Ignoring the blown raspberry, she made a disgusted noise as her nose wrinkled. “Ech, this beast hasn’t been dead but a few days…” she grumbled.  
  
Korihime sobered to cover her nose as she added, “this poor bastard was pretty big, I wonder who had the balls to kill it…”  
  
“InuYasha.” The four perked up as Sesshomaru approached them from the fog, and he glanced at the younger she-wolf as he mused, “you should recognize his scent well enough, Kori.”  
  
Placing her hands at her hips, she huffed and retorted, “I normally _do_ , but this time…” taking a step closer to the dead purple beast to take a whiff of its remains, she added, “this time his scent has changed.” _What happened to him to make him do this?_ She wondered, _did this thing try to kill Kagome or something…?_  
  
All three canines winced when, after their designated alpha lifted the head of the dead demon, the girl gave a scream of surprise that hurt their sharp ears. He then started walking away from the site and heard the older she-wolf jog after his leave before she came to his left.  
  
“Whoever this beast was, it broke the Tetsusaiga with its fangs… but that’s not what troubles you, is it?” Getsu asked quietly before sparing a glance at the severed head that he toted.  
  
“Surprisingly, no… InuYasha’s blood is changed, it’s not like that of a _hanyou_ so much as it’s like mine. Rin, stop that noise,” Sesshomaru added over his shoulder before he looked at her when she shot a puzzled look at the girl before looking at him again, adding dryly, “your sharper nose surely _must've_ caught the change by now.”  
  
Regarding the teasing smirk that weighed on his lips, she tilted her chin up and looked ahead as her cheeks warmed. “I'm not gonna answer only because it’d be hard to _not_ slap that smug look off your face,” she coolly retorted.  
  
She could’ve sworn she heard him chuckle.

“That snide, egotistic sunnuva… I can’t believe him…”  
  
She gave an exhale as she looked over at her from handing the girl a cooked newt they had caught earlier, blandly pointing out, “you're gonna bury yourself six feet in the ground if ya keep pacing.”  
  
“Is Getsu-onee worried about Lord Sesshomaru, too, Kori-onee?” Rin asked as she looked between the sisters.  
  
Korihime ignored the unintelligible snort from the named party and replied patiently, “she gets irritated when she worries, sometimes; he’ll be back soon, Rin.”  
  
_‘ **You’re denying me? Since when**!’ The older she-wolf had demanded incredulously.  
  
The dog demon had huffed and retorted calmly, ‘ **since two sets of eyes are better for pup-sitting. I won’t be gone long enough for you to fret**.’  
  
She had turned away with a growl, ‘ **I don’t fret, least of all over you** …’ she had trailed off and blushed at the smirk on his face, adding annoyedly, ‘ **and don’t make that face, jackass**!’  
  
He had turned away to leave with a quelled chuckle as he advised over his shoulder, ‘ **then don’t worry, princess**.’ He had then left with Jaken and Ah-Un into the sky._  
  
“Kori’s heard this from me, but it bears repeating: men aren't worth a damned thing, Rin, they're barely worth caring about.” Getsu stated as she at last came over to them, plonking down by the girl after taking a cooked newt from its place by the fire and munching on it.  
  
Rin made to ask what she meant when hearing a complaint voiced by the familiar imp, and their odd trio perked up at seeing the dog demon returned. “Lord Sesshomaru,” she beamed.  
  
“I really do hope your running off to have that beast’s fangs turned into a sword was successful…” Getsu greeted as she stood to stomp over and retrieve Ah-Un from his custody, giving him a sore scowl before looking back at the trees when catching whiff of a stranger, lowering a hand to her sword's hilt and growling, “Kori…”  
  
“Girls, don’t move.” Sesshomaru ordered as Rin froze in running to him and Korihime looked between he and her sister with sharpened eyes, leaping past them to swipe at the thin trees with his claws and make the stranger dart out into the open.  
  
Korihime took the chance to snatch her bow and quiver from the ground as she nocked an arrow and shielded their pup while Getsu came their side. The younger she-wolf's eyes tightened in suspicion as the stranger had taken the form of another female demon with upkept brown hair and red eyes donned in a lilac kimono.  
  
“Your stench is like that of that disgusting half-breed, Naraku, so the element of surprise isn’t on your side tonight.” Getsu said first in a cool tone.  
  
Huffing, the stranger regarded their leader, “you must be the cleverer and older brother of InuYasha, Sesshomaru. I am Kagura, the wind sorceress, an incarnation of Naraku as your protective wench guessed.” She regarded the soft growl from said female and smirked as she added, “though neither she _or_ her brat sister are run-of-the-mill wolf demons… Naraku's mentioned the princesses of the western wolf clan.”  
  
“Whatever you seek, you’re barkin' up the wrong tree, so take a lesson from the winds and fly away.” Korihime drawled coldly, giving a sniff when the dog demon glanced back at her to keep quiet.  
  
Kagura's smirk lingered and hid behind the fan she’d drawn, and she looked to the mentioned male as she continue, “Sesshomaru, the fangs you delivered to Kaijinbo belonged to another incarnation of Naraku’s known as Goshinki.”  
  
“Interesting as that is, why’ve you come looking for _me?_ ” Sesshomaru wondered with a raised brow.  
  
Kagura shrugged and remarked, “can’t you smell it? Tokijin _reeks_ of Goshinki’s aura… even your pedigree princesses should’ve caught its stink by now.” The winds picked up around them as she lifted into the air astride a large white feather and added to him before departing, “you are the sword’s rightful owner.” She then left with the winds softly howling in her wake.  
  
Jaken huffed. “I for one am _not_ sorry to see her leave! I’ve never seen such an arrogant woman… aside from _one other_ that comes to mind…!” He squawked the last word when her bare foot stomped on his head with purpose.  
  
“Come ta think of it, I should've fried you a long time ago, now moreso for comparing me to _that_ cow…” Getsu growled, fists at her sides, as she dug her heel into his head.  
  
“It appears that Naraku knows of your clan’s demise.” Sesshomaru mused as he looked at the sisters.  
  
Korihime returned the arrow to her quiver with a huff as she mused aloud, “for once, I agree with the toad.”  
  
“And if he knows, so what? He can’t threaten us with anything, and if he _does_ , I’ll crush his skull with my bare hands.” Getsu retorted as she gave him a look and unladylike snort.  
  
“ _Now_ who’s arrogant…?” He scoffed.  
  
She scoffed back and bit out, “'least I didn’t enjoy her shakin' her tail, compared to _you._ ”  
  
“Who says I _did?_ ” He demanded as his brow gave a twitch.  
  
“A blind man neck-deep in an eclipse! Ya didn't help your case in any sense, being _so_ stoic…” she barked flippantly, brow also twitching, before she strode away to tend to the dragon.  
  
The younger she-wolf shared a look with Rin before she ushered her charge to get to bed.  
  
“Just what about that was ‘ _so stoic’?_ ” He asked impatiently as he followed her. When she pretended he didn't question her and removed the bridles from the dragon, he clamped a hand on her shoulder and turned her to him as he bit out, “Getsuei.”  
  
Quelling a wince at his tone, she glowered up at him before clipping back, “you've got guts to ask me that, thinkin' you can woo _me_ one night and then follow _some witch_ to her bed the next… I don’t give a rat's ass on your inherited entitlement, I refuse to let you do that to me, Sesshomaru.” She jerked free and started to leave again when he grabbed her obi and tugged her to face him, a snarl starting to cross her lovely face.  
  
“You’re being ridiculous if you think I would do _that!_ " He hissed back, regarding the fire that tried to hide her hurt with what she thought he was doing, and he gave a shallow exhale to calm himself, continuing quietly, "in comparison to you, any other woman means nothing to me… you once believed I was a man you could trust, Getsu, and I only ask that you trust me again.”  
  
Their stares held solid for what seemed hours.  
  
Getsu then lifted one clawed finger and vowed coldly, “if I see you so much as smirk the next time she bats her eyelashes, I’m burning you both. As you said, I'm the head of my clan and, because of that, I will **not** be made your plaything.”  
  
If he were a weaker male, Sesshomaru would have flinched at her threat as he knew she would follow through. He didn't like being threatened in the slightest, but he cared for her even if he wouldn't admit it, yet… so he nodded. He watched her shoulders sag before she turned to the others, following and quietly musing to her, “that’s the first time I’ve seen you act on your birthright.”  
  
She looked at him with a measure of surprise before she sobered with a smirk, looking ahead to advise calmly, “get used to it, dog-breath.”

“So he _is_ strong enough to wield it after all… never gonna hear the end of this one,” she mused, watching with some shock when the evil aura around the sword vanished from sight, earning a generally-surprised look from the five spectators and greeting with a cheery smile, “hi.”  
  
“You knew about this, too, Getsu?” The monk asked first and received a sagely nod from the named wolf.  
  
The dog demon looked on his new sword as he mused, “Tokijin chose me to be its master, after all, then… InuYasha, draw your sword for I wish to verify something. Rather, I’ll make it easy on you and come _your_ way this time.” He then rushed the half-breed who met his challenge.  
  
His counterpart frowned as the younger of the two blocked the attack instead of counter, looking at his companions for an explanation. “Was Tetsusaiga reforged recently? It’s too heavy for him to strike back, I'm assuming that's not the great general's fault…” she asked curiously.  
  
“Keen eyes indeed, Lady Getsuei!” The smithy nodded as he watched the battle, pointing out, “given that InuYasha broke the blade, I reforged Tetsusaiga using one of his fangs, and unfortunately he has yet to master the improved sword.”  
  
“Then this is definitely not gonna be pretty, especially with Tokijin involved,” she mused with the frown present.  
  
And with _Sesshomaru_ of all people wielding such a powerful blade…  
  
Getsu perked up when InuYasha discarded his heavy heirloom to attack only to fly back when repelled by the sheer power of Tokijin and Sesshomaru rushed him, her nose wrinkling at the foreboding change in the _hanyou_ ’s scent.  
  
“Damn it!” She hissed before rushing into the fight to then send a wide blast of blue fire from her foot to create a firewall between the brothers, landing on Sesshomaru's side and calling to the other spectators, “take him and go!” She heard the priestess subdue the _hanyou_ before they fled.  
  
Regarding the stern set of her brow as their eyes met, Sesshomaru looked away to tuck his new sword into place at his hip while she dispelled the flames with a flick of the wrist, his gaze glimmering with frustration as he commanded, “explain.”  
  
“You’re _clever_ , you tell me,” Getsu drawled coolly before spotting Ah-Un not a hundred yards away and leaving him to walk over to the dragon.  
  
“You had a moment of conscience regarding that idiotic half-breed and spared his life by endangering your own.” He said flatly as he followed her, for a moment considering making her stop to talk to him.  
  
Much to his mild surprise, she stopped to turn and glare up at him as she started, “let’s get _one thing_ straight, shall we?” She poked his chest with a finger as she added with finality, “I didn’t spare him and put myself at risk because of _pity_. I stuck my foot in because _neither of us_ know what he’s capable of when transformed, so instead of _cowing me_ like you think you should do, you should _thank me_ for saving your ass once again.”  
  
He gave a slight growl and stated flatly, “that was _two things_ , for one. And for another, your compassion is misplaced _yet again_. The thought of you showing compassion to _him_ of all people makes me ill, and you should know that was idiotic of you to jump in like that. I could’ve just as easily cut you down…”  
  
“Then why _didn't_ you?” Getsu cut him off in the same tone, sporting a dubious look as she drew away a bit to firmly cross her arms at her chest.  
  
Inhaling shortly, Sesshomaru stepped up to pull her to him by her obi and crush her lips with his, hearing a surprised inhale through her nostrils before her fingers found themselves knotted in his hair.  
  
Getsu was kissing him back, growling slightly when his teeth tugged at her lower lip and she forced her tongue against his, smirking when he growled in return at her bold gesture. Her insides curled when he drew away to let them both breathe, a soft and involuntary moan escaping her at the break.  
  
“ _That’s_ why.” Sesshomaru stated quietly, cupping her cheek and meeting her softened eyes when their stares met again.


	9. Thundershock

“For what it’s worth, I think he’s starting to soften up.” she mused with a slight huff.  
  
“Or maybe he knew we’d do this anyway,” she agreed with a shrug before regarding the bandit host that surrounded the other women, looking at her and asking lightly, “shall we?”  
  
“Lets!” She nodded with a smirk.  
  
“There’s too many of them!” Sango barked, regarding that their numbers were dwarfed in comparison to the band of men surrounding them.  
  
A wall of blue fire suddenly sprang to life and surrounded the women, surprising the bandits on the outside, as the familiar she-wolves landed expertly with them.  
  
“Getsu, Kori-chan!”  
  
“A little birdy told us you lot needed help,” the younger princess began between nocking a couple of arrows in her bow.  
  
Flexing her claws as the wall died down, her sister finished with a playful smirk, “and honestly, who'd we be to _not_ help you lot out of a fix?”  
  
“Hey boss, what d'ya wanna do about these two? They’re really pretty…!” One of the bandits called to his leader before shock spilled on his face as one of her arrows hit and he fell back.  
  
“That's cute, they like us all ready,” Korihime mused with a chuckle.  
  
Getsu’s lingering smirk faltered when the bandits’ leader, an effeminate moth demon wearing a maroon coat, stood to regard them with a hungry look that she immediately disliked, and she advised, “Kori, stay near Kagome.” Where was InuYasha? He wouldn't just leave his pack defenseless… would he?  
  
“He wasn’t wrong! You two are, in fact, beautiful creatures. Even with that scary look on your faces. I am Gatenmaru, the leader of these bandits, and it would be my pleasure to know your names before I kill you.” The effeminate demon drawled as he eyed one down and then up before doing the same to the other.  
  
Breaking away from the girls to unleash a burst of blue flames that screamed at where he stood before he dodged it, she landed and humorlessly drawled back, “Getsu, Head of the Western Wolf Clan… You damn fool, you couldn’t hope to make me bow much less kill me!” She swung her left arm at him and sent a fire wave barreling for the lesser demon.  
  
“Boss!” One of the other bandits exclaimed in shock before a solid _‘whack_ ’ sounded when her bow crashed onto his head.  
  
Blue eyes like stone as she regarded the bristling men, the younger she-wolf purred sweetly, “what's wrong, boys, I thought ya wanted to play with me. Come on!”  
  
Getsu hopped out of the way as the moth spat an acidic ball of web at her, and she growled, “so explains the urge I had to crush you on sight!” She thrust her fist out and sent a vicious flamethrower at him, perking up when he sliced through it with the hatchet he wielded.  
  
“I will take special pleasure in devouring _you_ , my Lady!” Gatenmaru retorted as he swung out at her with the hatchet before perking up when she hopped onto the large blade and sprang into the air, shattering the blade with her momentum. _“H-how dare you!?_ ” He yowled, having blanched at being rendered weaponless, as he shot another web-ball at her.  
  
Her left fist crashed into his nose before she bounced off to land behind him on expert feet, and she shifted her weight from foot to foot as he snarled an oath and turned on her with murder in his eyes, to which she then twisted on one heel and send him skidding back with her free foot that crashed into his chest guard.  
  
Korihime froze the bandit that had slashed at her with his sword and nicked her left arm, hissing between her teeth as she gripped her arm gingerly and looked at the crimson that wept from the small cut. “Bastards…” she growled before regarding the bandit Sango hadn’t yet dealt with flew at her to then be sharply smacked away with her bow.  
  
“Kori-chan!” Kagome exclaimed before freezing when she sensed a familiar aura coming from the large cocoon nearby.

Kagome ran to him with the Tetsusaiga in hand as she declared, “return to your old self, InuYasha!”  
  
“Oh for the love of…” Korihime groaned before shortly following her.  
  
Getsu perked up and barked, “Kori, don’t!”  
  
A dark laugh came from the half-breed turned bloodthirsty beast before the breath caught in his throat as she delivered a sharp kick to his chest and he fell back.  
  
“If he won’t listen to reason, then force is the best bet! You three, leave here while you can. Go now!” Korihime declared to the three remaining bandits, watching them snap to and scramble away to what horses remained to leave the village.  
  
Dodging the sharp swipe for her throat from the _hanyou_ , she voice a growl as she observed grimly, “you’re a little more accurate when you're like this… that look on your face doesn't fit ya, though, so snap out of it, InuYasha!” She slashed at him with her own claws only to miss as he skirted out of the way, twisting to send her other foot careening into his chest when he tried to attack from her blind side, knocking him away and snarling, “ _I don't want to kill you!_ ”  
  
Gathering himself with a snarl of anger, InuYasha made to attack again when another scent assailed his nose, and he turned to face the dog demon who had arrived.  
  
“Sesshomaru…” Getsu breathed with a slight sigh, glad that he had come at last.  
  
“Back away from him, Kori.” Sesshomaru ordered, regarding the named she-wolf's glance before she obeyed and retreated to her sister’s side. “You’re nothing more than a bloodthirsty beast. Come at me with your new power, InuYasha,” he goaded with a wry smirk after looking about at the carnage caused by the snarling _hanyou_.  
  
Korihime voiced a slight growl when the transformed dog demon smacked Tokijin away with a fist after being repelled by its aura alone. “Damn fool… _Onee-chan_ , with all we heard from Bokuseno-san, you don’t think he’ll kill him today… right?” She asked as she looked at her sister.  
  
Also concerned about the brothers, Getsu shook her head and replied quietly, “I can’t say for sure…” She perked up when InuYasha flew at Sesshomaru one last time before the latter extended Tokijin and repelled him with a white light that nearly blinded them all, exclaiming, “ _InuYasha!”_  
  
InuYasha fell back and hit the ground unconscious, much to the spectators’ relief.  
  
“InuYasha!” Kagome exclaimed as she and the others ran to his side to protect him as his brother came forward, gaping slightly when Korihime dove between them and Sesshomaru to stand as a buffer. “K-Kori-chan…” she began.  
  
“If you want to stop his transformation, use the Tetsusaiga, otherwise he’ll go on fighting like this.” Sesshomaru advised the humans before regarding the bristling she-wolf, quelling the surprise from showing on his face at seeing the familiar fire in her eyes that matched her sister's, adding patiently to her, “choose where you belong, Korihime… neither of us can decide for you.”  
  
So he wanted to stop him from continuing as a mindless beast… Korihime thought before faltering a bit at the somewhat-softened manner he showed to her, before she looked at the humans plus _hanyou_ and nodded to then rejoin her sister.  
  
“We know you despise InuYasha, so why did you tell us this?” Miroku demanded behind her as he looked on the older dog demon.  
  
Sesshomaru glanced past him at his brother as he replied with a slight huff, “I won’t kill him today, and why would I when he doesn’t know who he is?” He then turned to leave with his fiancé who looked back at the humans with a slight smile before following him with the younger she-wolf at their heels.

Rin beamed and nodded when being asked if she had had a good day, “yes, milord!”  
  
Getsu raised a brow. “Maybe Kori was right…” At his glance, she added thoughtfully, “about you goin' soft after all these years… sparing your baby brother, and then now.”  
  
“I am _not_ going soft.” Sesshomaru defended with a scoff even though his brow twitched, regarding the playful spark in her eyes and scowling as he added, “don’t even think about making that face.”  
  
“Kori-onee, you okay? You’ve been awfully quiet, and your arm!” Rin asked of the younger she-wolf before gesturing to her arm with worry.  
  
Korihime slightly shook her head before smiling and assuring, “ah, I’m okay, Rin… it’s just a scratch, it’ll heal up quick! It has to anyway, if I gotta be here for you.” She then started tickling her and made the girl laugh.  
  
Getsu smiled softly at the two and caught the thoughtful look that crossed his handsome face, leaning up to kiss his cheek and teasing in the same soft tone, “softie.”  
  
Willing the burning in his ears to go away, Sesshomaru scoffed and gave a sideways look at her cheeky smile.


	10. Starlight

Korihime smiled softly as she looked at the sleeping girl.  
  
While she had half-expected the pup to be afraid of them when Sesshomaru had brought her into the pack, Rin wasn’t afraid at all, and she seemed happier with each passing day… daresay, she looked the most at home with their pack.  
  
It didn't matter if Rin wasn't her actual child, though, as she knew she would protect her regardless.  
  
The winds suddenly howled around their camp as the odd trio caught the scent of a familiar wind witch.  
  
Getsu was first to hop up from lying in the grass, snatching her heirloom from its place at her side, as Korihime broke away from Rin's side to shift a bit and shield their charge.  
  
Landing in a crouch before the trio, Kagura looked up only to go cross-eyed when meeting the sharp tip of a sword, and she looked from the blade to the cold gaze of its wielder. “Aren’t you a bit cagey?” She wondered blandly, straightening to take a step back from the defensive wolf demon.  
  
Getsu cocked a brow and retorted coolly, “aren’t you _lost?_ Or is it that you’re barking up the wrong tree, considerin' you look like a dog in that getup…”  
  
“Why you…” Kagura growled out, bristling, before she huffed. “Sesshomaru, call off your guard dog, would you?” She asked, looking away to the named male and pretending his counterpart didn't growl under her breath.  
  
“Getsu brings up a good question, actually… why _are_ you here, Kagura?” Sesshomaru agreed as he shuffled to the named female's side, earning a glance from her.  
  
Kagura gave a huff before extending her right hand out to reveal two shards of the Shikon Jewel that glinted starlight. “Surely you know what these are… I’ll give these to you, if you kill Naraku for me. Sever my tie to him and free me, Sesshomaru,” she requested as red met gold.  
  
A light _‘smack_ ’ sounded as Getsu knocked her extended hand down to then snatch the shards from falling, surprising the sorceress.  
  
“H-hey!” She barked and made to lunge at her before the sword was raised to point at her chest, bristling again and glaring at the other woman as she ordered, “give those back to me, now!”  
  
“So you can do _what,_ exactly, keep hiding them from Naraku? It's true that we don't know each other very well, Kagura, but I think you actually hate that pest. Can't say I blame ya, though, but at the very least you should keep my pack outta your drama.” She reasoned in a bland tone, having cocked a brow before lowering the katana a bit.  
  
Kagura scowled at her before looking to the other's counterpart and asking in the same tone, “ _well,_ Sesshomaru, are you gonna let her _dictate_ what goes on in your little pack?”  
  
Sesshomaru spared a brief look at Getsu. “She _is_ my fiancé, so I respect what she has to say as it speaks for myself, as well," he answered calmly before adding at the other woman's lingering scowl, "I have no interest in the Shikon Jewel, nor do I feel obligated to help you. If you can’t do it on your own, then don’t do it at all.”  
  
“And you call yourself a man…!” Kagura scoffed angrily, glaring at the smug look that both wolves sported, before she plucked a feather from the bun in her hair to then take to the skies atop another large feather and add over her shoulder, “pathetic fool!” She then left with the wind.  
  
Getsu sheathed her sword and huffed under her breath. “ _She’s_ the fool, if you ask me, beggin' you to do a task that she doesn’t have the stones for…” she groused before regarding the shards in her palm and wrinkling her nose as she muttered, “pathetic.”  
  
“Your protecting me is rather becoming, princess,” Sesshomaru observed in the same calm tone, arching a brow when she glanced up at him.  
  
Looking away with a scoff, she remarked flatly, “w-well that’s only because you’re important around here, and she’s about as deluded as her master if she wanted to use you as a shield…” Seeing the amusement in his gold eyes, she turned away to tuck the shards into her yukata collar before following him when he decided to take off.  
  
“E-eh, but Milord, what about dinner?” Jaken asked as the other two females followed the dog demon’s leave, scrambling to grab Ah-Un before he trailed after them.  
  
“Hunting something up won’t be _too_ much trouble…” Korihime declared off-handedly before stopping as they were reaching the treeline, sniffing the air as she recognized a familiar scent. _What’s he doing here_ …? “I’ll be back, Getsu,” she announced to her sister.  
  
“You’re not honestly going…” Sesshomaru began when the younger wolf started to leave with her quiver and bow in tow.  
  
Getsu ignored him and replied calmly, “we can manage, just be careful!” She had also caught the same scent, knowing he was in tune, even though both she and her sister had smelled blood mixed in.  
  
Rin looked at the older wolf as she asked, “where’s Kori-onee going?”  
  
“She went lookin' for something, she’ll be back soon,” Getsu replied as she ruffled her hair, looking forward and adding lightly, “I’m sure we can find something good for dinner, too.” She ignored the scowl from Sesshomaru that dug into her skull.

The wolves with them whined in sympathy for their alpha before a growl rippled amongst them, and the pack turned to greet the intruder.  
  
“What’s gotten into them?” Sango asked for the other's sake as well as her own.  
  
It was then that Korihime skidded to a halt before the odd party. She flashed a smile at the human pack and said, “I thought I smelled wolf blood.” She regarded the trio of wolf demons even though her gaze settled on their alpha.  
  
“Wow, you could smell it from a long ways then, Kori-chan!” Shippo declared before smiling when the named she-wolf ruffled his hair in greeting.  
  
Koga bristled at having her back, giving a _‘humph_ ’ as he asked sorely, “what’re you doing around here, pedigree?”  
  
“I was gonna ask if you needed your ass handed to you, y'know _again_ , but looks like someone beat me to it! I can take over, Kagome,” Korihime retorted with a cheery look before she came forward to relieve the priestess.  
  
“Hold up a sec, _you’re_ the one who beat his scrawny wolf ass?” InuYasha cut in with surprise in his voice, having guffawed at the news, before the she-wolf looked at him once and then twice. His cheeks burned at the surprise in her eyes and he bristled a bit at being ogled before he asked, “what now?”  
  
Regarding his mane of hair that was ebony rather than silver and his eyes that were brown rather than gold, Korihime gave a low whistle. “Well I’ll be damned. I've only heard tale about half-breeds changing form when the moon changes phases, but until now I didn't think it to be true. You actually look better like this,” she observed before smirking playfully when her words made him blush.  
  
"K-keh, shut up, Kori! I'd rather ya _not_ spill the beans to that asshole, or I swear I'll kill ya for it." InuYasha vowed, having looked away with a huff before he glared at her somewhat-softened gaze.  
  
Korihime rolled her eyes at his threat and ruffled his hair before giggling when he shooed her off as she stepped up to fix Koga's wounds, assuring, "relax, puppy boy, I'm not gonna tell him zip." She looked at his guarded stare that sobered when seeing she meant it before he nodded a bit after a moment.  
  
“Why'd I figure _you_ would be interested in that mutt?” Koga made a disgusted noise, wincing when the mentioned female whacked the back of his head with a hand and adding annoyedly, “hey, I thought ya were supposed to be healing me! ‘Course I was perfectly fine with _Kagome_ patching me up…”  
  
Brow twitching at his complaining, Korihime lamented as she started to heal him, “now **I’m** getting sick. You’re hopeless, chasin' after a priestess who don't want you… stay still.” She puffed when hearing him grumble before clamming up, asking for curiosity's sake, “dare I ask who beat your ass _this time?_ ”  
  
“Tch, it was one of Naraku’s incarnations, Kagura… after slaying my whole clan, she's been after my shards since.” Koga answered with a growl in his throat, glancing up at her and wondering when feeling the slightest spike in her _yoki,_ “what is it?”  
  
Korihime quieted at his question and shrugged, “I didn’t know he made her do that… I’m sorry for your tribe. She’s been sniffin' around Sesshomaru lately, but she's not gonna get far with Getsu and me.” She relaxed when their near identical blue stares met for a moment before she looked away and refocused on her work.  
  
“So she and Sesshomaru made up?” Kagome chose to ask, looking at the she-wolf who was, in fact, doing a better job at healing the other wolf demon.  
  
Korihime smiled wryly and chuckled as she replied, “they still bicker like an old married couple some days, but they're good for the most part.”  
  
She didn’t mention how Kagura had tried to bribe Sesshomaru with jewel shards and decided not to. Never mind that Getsu didn’t have a need for them, so she doubted the shards were in any danger of being used.  
  
But it _would_ be safer to give the shards to Kagome when Koga wasn’t around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the next two chaps are going to be action-y, just as a forewarning. so if yall think the fight scenes suck or lack appeal, i'm apologizing beforehand. thanks for sticking with me so far! :)


	11. Unfortunate Cat Allergy

A muffled _‘thunk_ ’ sounded when her arrow snagged the fish.  
  
“Whoa, that fish didn’t stand a chance, Kori-onee!” Rin declared as her babysitter retrieved the dead fish by lifting it via the arrow’s shaft.  
  
Korihime afforded a bright smile as she tossed the fish onto the higher part of the bank, remarking lightly, “ya kidding? I barely miss!”  
  
There hadn’t been any disturbances of late, and as it was a beautiful day, they stopped by a river for Rin, Korihime and Jaken to proceed to fish for their lunch.  
  
Stretching her arms with a yawn that showed her canines, Getsu relaxed against the handy tree both she and Sesshomaru lounged at. Recalling the shards she had kept, she looked heavenward with a slight frown.  
  
She knew that she should’ve had Korihime give them to Kagome the last time she had scampered off to see that half-breed, but she had remembered too late by the time her sister had left… she honestly didn’t know what to do with them.  
  
A foul stench that came in with a breeze then filled her nose, causing her to give a sniff before cocking a brow when he straightened from leaning against their tree to walk towards the source of the stink.  
  
She frowned softly and straightened to follow his leave. Left hand dropped to hold onto Mangetsuga's hilt, she regarded the river at their right that froze with a thick layer of ice as the scent was stronger now that they were coming up to it… she was hardly one to like cats.  
  
“It’s been a long time, Sesshomaru.” The female stranger greeted him calmly, causing both canines to look to a blue-haired panther demon in a blue kimono with a shoulder guard and a sword at her hip. The feline smiled in the same manner at the named dog demon.  
  
Sensing the spike in her _yoki_ without glancing at his counterpart, he remarked coolly, “I thought that was you, Tohran… thought you were dead.”  
  
“Well _that_ ’s no way to greet someone!" The christened cat huffed incredulously, shifting her gaze to the other female and adding, "so _this_ must be Lord Kiba’s oldest… she's got his eyes and, if I’m not mistaken, that fang at her hip is also his. We heard of his disgraceful demise as far as the south and, frankly, were glad to hear the great mongrel was dead.” She tilted her head at the she-wolf's stony look.  
  
Getsu remained silent, folding her arms at her chest, even though the thought of ripping the cat's heart out and burning it seemed like fun… it was only right, for her father's sake.  
  
“I’ve come to settle things with you mongrels.” Tohran declared, rather put-off at the lack of a rise out of the wolf demon, looking at the odd pair.  
  
Sesshomaru, hardly blaming his counterpart for her stony silence, huffed at that and mused, “we settled things decades ago, but if you insist. You should know that you won’t be as lucky as you once were.”  
  
Tohran scoffed quietly and tutted, “still boorish, I see… your fiancé hasn't softened that part of you, either. But I guarantee that things'll be different this time around… our master is waiting for you.”  
  
“I thought he was dead… both my father and the great general ensured _that_ much.” Getsu declared, breaking her silence, her tone dubious.  
  
“Then you'd know that he leads the panther tribe. Both of your mongrel fathers are _dead_ , thankfully, yet _our_ master is going to be resurrected.” The panther hummed coolly.  
  
As he was closer, he heard the soft growl that sat in her throat, choosing to ask even though he also stiffened a bit, “why would you bother resurrecting _him?_ ”  
  
She sniffed and retorted flatly, “to take the lands in the east, once and for all, and to take vengeance on you mongrels.”  
  
“Is that supposed to be scary? Snapping that cat's spine should be easy, I think, threats or not,” she drawled with a scoff, locking gazes with the panther albeit brazenly.  
  
“Now that’s more like it! You've spent too much time around _him,_ though, with that scary look on your face. You're both welcome to come to our castle, and bring with you the reinforcements you’ll need!” Tohran hummed, smirking at the fire in the wolf's gaze, before she made the ice beneath her break and rise with her to usher her retreat.  
  
Getsu smirked humorlessly in her wake, giving a huff as she relaxed her grip on the sword and considered that she would, in fact, enjoy ripping that cat to shreds…  
  
“Lord Sesshomaru, look how many fish Kori-onee, Jaken and I caught!” Rin exclaimed as she ran up to the couple with several hanging fish in hand.  
  
Sesshomaru looked briefly to her before looking to the imp as he stated, “the panther tribe is back, Jaken.”  
  
“But I thought they stayed in the west… is it true, Getsu?” Korihime asked first, having perked up while the named imp squawked once in surprise, quieting at the disgruntled glint in her sister's silver eyes.  
  
“Unfortunately, yeah. You’re comin', too, we’re gonna need every hand we can get.” Getsu answered with a nod, stepping away to crouch before the girl and ruffle her hair with a gentle hand, urging in the same tone, “stay safe with Ah-Un, ‘kay?”  
  
Rin nodded and smiled back as she said, “yes, just don’t forget us, Getsu-onee!” She earned a nod from the older wolf who stepped away to then follow their alpha, waving after the four.  
  
“I thought they were still skulking about in the south, didn’t think they left, too… those flea-bags kept quiet for years.” Korihime mused as Getsu sidled to her left side.  
  
Getsu huffed bitterly at that, “if only. Sesshomaru, ya should know that Tohran bitch is mine.”  
  
“You know that it wasn’t only _your_ father she insulted,” Sesshomaru remarked, having shot a somewhat surprised look her way at the warning.  
  
Getsu ignored his look as their stares held and she stated firmly, “don't start contradicting your own words, now, _dearest_ … I am the head of my clan and, _as_ such, I will finish what my father didn’t.”  
  
Minding, and admiring if for a moment, that her eyes glimmered like steel again, Sesshomaru's lips quirked into a smile meant for her alone as he mused, “that _is_ , in fact, more like it.”  
  
Korihime regarded that her sister had finally accepted her title, giving a soft exhale at the spectacle, before she looked ahead at the corner they were coming upon as her sharp sight found a familiar wolf demon wearing armor seated there. _No way… then he must have broken free of Naraku’s hold at last_ , she thought with an elated smile as she relaxed.  
  
“Lord Sesshomaru, I, Royakan, humbly ask to serve you once again!” The larger wolf pleaded with a respectful bowing of his head.  
  
Sesshomaru replied flatly as he kept walking, “not interested.”  
  
Royakan looked distraught, “p-please, milord, I beg you…!” His big blue eyes brightened when seeing the other wolf princess and he barked, “ah, Lord Kiba’s daughter!”  
  
Getsu blinked once and raised both brows as she stopped to greet him. “Oh, you’re Royakan-san, the one my sister told me about… um, how'd you come to that conclusion?”  
  
“Your eyes, milady, I can tell that you are indeed his firstborn! Lady Getsuei, please, allow me to serve under you as I once served your great father!” Royakan begged as he bowed again albeit somewhat lower.  
  
“E-eh, um, well, I…” Getsu stalled, smiling sheepishly at the other wolf's esteemed reverence of her even though he barely knew her.  
  
Deadpanning at having her be stymied before giving a short puff at the reason, Sesshomaru doubled back to take her hand in his and state for her sake, “she’s not interested, _either_. C'mon, Kori,” he continued on with his fiancé in tow.  
  
Korihime bowed slightly to the sulking beast and apologized, “sorry Royakan-san!” She hurried after her companions to then scold the older of the two, “Sesshomaru, he could’ve helped us, he’s as much a wolf as both me and Getsu are, and he says he served under Father, to boot!”  
  
“You can’t pick up every stray you find, Kori, never mind that the both of you are more than capable in comparison to _him_ …” Sesshomaru reminded patiently, hearing her grumble in defeat, before he added to the other wolf demon, “Royakan, leave before I lop your head off.” His brow twitched when the imp pointed out what Korihime had said and he stated, “Jaken, only the girls and you need accompany me.”  
  
Getsu deadpanned when the imp blubbered in response, giving a shake of her head before she looked down at his hand that still held hers as it gave a squeeze, and her eyes softened before she returned the squeeze.  
  
… Just when she had hoped their day would be a peaceful one.

_It only made sense, right?_  
  
“Sons of the dog general, and you two entitled wolves, we’ll be waiting in our castle!” The redhead panther taunted before she and her vassals fled the village.  
  
“Come back here…!” She growled as she sought to chase them.  
  
Her sister caught her arm and advised, “let them go, Kori; we’ll soon get the chance.”  
  
Quieting at her wisdom, the younger wolf nodded somewhat before shirking her arm free.  
  
“Why're the girls here, Sesshomaru?” The younger dog demon asked, giving a huff at having both she-wolves present, looking at his sibling.  
  
The older dog demon returned the huff before he replied dryly, “they came to settle a score, but you shouldn’t worry. Leave while you still can, _baka-hanyou_.”  
  
He bristled and gripped the sword’s hilt as he demanded, “what’d you say?”  
  
“This is my war and I won’t let you get involved.” He stated with finality.  
  
“Well too bad, because Kagome’s been captured by those rotten cats!” He snapped indignantly.  
  
He bristled and snapped back, “you’re such a fool!” He swung Tokijin at him and sent him flying to crash into the side of one of the houses.  
  
“I really doubt that's gonna work on him…” she grumbled blandly as her sister gave a wise nod at her side.  
  
“H-hey, what’re you picking at _me_ for!” InuYasha barked as he scrambled to his feet, indignant again.  
  
Sesshomaru flashed his fangs as he barked, “ _silence_ , InuYasha! Don’t forget that you lost your heart to a mortal and were sealed away fifty years ago, hence why you've got no place in this battle.”  
  
_I’ve never seen him like this… is he really worried about his brother’s safety?_ Getsu wondered as she regarded the spike in his _yoki_ and the darkened glint in his eyes. _Sesshomaru_ …  
  
“Er-um, Lord Sesshomaru, perhaps it’s unwise to turn away InuYasha’s help? We’re surely going to need it…!” Jaken proposed before yelping when being stomped on by his master’s boots as the latter strode away with his fiancé hopping over the imp to continue at his heels.  
  
Korihime gripped her bow as she said in his wake, “I'll stay with InuYasha, then, considerin' it's prolly easier for us to split up.”  
  
“Regroup with us when this night is over, and be careful, Kori,” Getsu advised as she paused slightly to share a smile with the younger wolf. She turned away to then sidle to his side and muse despite the brooding aura he gave off, “I don't recall seein' you snap like that, not even between us.”  
  
Sesshomaru pinched the bridge of his nose and scoffed under his breath as he remarked, “it wasn’t intentional and, even so, that fool won’t listen to reason.”  
  
“So explains the family resemblance,” Getsu puffed with a wry smile that turned cheery when he bristled and scowled at her.

“Are you going to ask your big brother for help?” She wondered, barking a laugh.  
  
He scoffed as he regarded the several vassals around the redhead and snapped, “the hell I would!”  
  
Said redhead yowled slightly as she dodged an icy arrow, glaring at the she-wolf as she exclaimed, “hey!”  
  
“That'd be pointless, since he’s got me here,” the mentioned archer said with a daunting smirk, lowering the bow.  
  
“I’ve got this one, Kori!” InuYasha scolded as he scowled at her.  
  
Korihime rolled her eyes and remarked patiently, “these flea-bags are more my problem than yours, dummy. 'Sides, it’s only right that I hold them off while you look for Kagome.”  
  
“You’d seriously do that? But there’s too many of them!” He protested knowingly, bristling at the thought of leaving her to face the cats by herself.  
  
“I can handle myself…” She started to argue with some impatience as she rounded on him.  
  
“Isn’t _that_ precious!” A flaming fireball streaked at the two before they dodged it, and the redhead panther huffed as she added, “I didn’t think wolves could actually love anything aside from their packs of worthless…” She narrowly avoided getting clubbed by the younger wolf’s bow.  
  
Korihime flashed her fangs as her _yoki_ spiked and she growled, “in comparison to my sister, I’m not so _calm!_ ” She launched herself at the redhead.

Both wolf and dog demon bristled as they regarded the large count of vassals around the blue-haired panther.  
  
“You summoned us to fight your master, so where is he?” He demanded.  
  
The feline hummed, “all in good time, once the preparations are done. But until then, won’t you stay with me?”  
  
Before the she-wolf could rebut, the imp stepped up, causing her to deadpan in his wake and muse, _good grief_ …  
  
“Let me handle the wench; behold the Staff of Two Heads!” The imp declared as flames spewed forth from the staff’s lesser side, and he held onto it when the panther sent a wave of ice pelting at him, flailing as he fell back.  
  
An arc of violet energy shattered the shards of ice with ease, surprising the imp, as the panther quickly drew her sword to block the she-wolf's lunge when the lattermost spirited for her.  
  
“Well then, you’re really going to let your wench fight for you, Sesshomaru?” The panther drawled as she punted the wolf demon off and regripped her sword’s hilt.  
  
The wolf demon smirked coldly as she taunted in his stead, “you're _that_ afraid of being destroyed by my father’s fang, _kitten?_ ”  
  
_Yoki_ spiking at her challenge, Tohran heard her vassals hiss and growl in the background before she snapped at them, “this wolf is my kill, you lot deal with her mongrel of a mate.” She rushed the she-wolf with a snarl.  
  
Getsu caught her blow and twisted a bit to kick at her ribs and knock her back, lightly holding onto her heirloom as she sang, “y’know, ya talk big for a defenseless flea-bag.” She hopped to the side when a spear of ice sailed at where she had been standing, bristling before she flew forward with a growl.  
  
Both panther and wolf demon’s blades clashed and sang as they fought, and the former looked like she was blocking more than parrying as she absorbed more than a couple of kicks from the latter’s quick footwork.  
  
Tohran bounced back onto the balls of her feet as she regarded the she-wolf with loathing, a cold smirk crossing her pale face as she attacked only to be blocked again, drawling bitingly, “you truly are that mongrel leader’s firstborn… you don’t know the first thing about defeat. But I can see you carry a pair of jewel shards on your person. You’re disgracing your clan to rely on something other than your inherited powers!” She sharply punted her away so the other was sent flying to crash into a nearby hut.  
  
Tossing away the vassal, Sesshomaru looked away at seeing the wolf demon be thrown off the roof and he barked, “Getsu!”  
  
The panther laughed slightly as she relaxed the grip on her sword and regarding the angered spike in his aura as she mused, “you really must love that weak mutt if you’re so worried for her, Sesshomaru… I didn’t think a demon of your caliber could even fall that excuse of a…!”  
  
“ _Y’know, you’re right about something, Tohran_.” The mentioned's voice growled out from the hut's confines, causing both panther and dog demon to look that way, before a wide burst of blue fire shot out from the hut to send the named feline flying.  
  
Shaking her head of dust before striding out from the darkness, Getsu flexed her claws as faint smoke trickled from her palms and cracked a toothy smile as she stated proudly, “I _don’t_ give up easily when my father’s honor is involved!”  
  
Sesshomaru relaxed at seeing her standing there like a proud victor, considering scolding her for making him show concern before he quieted at the gold tint that started to recede from her eyes. _Did her lesser side save her…?_  
  
He glanced around at seeing and smelling the cats had retreated to their castle for the meantime, giving a short exhale as he returned Tokijin to its place before approaching her. “I wish you wouldn’t do that,” he declared.  
  
“Do _what_ , make you show emotion?” Getsu wondered with a soft huff, quieting and looking at him when he found the graze on her right cheek that he gingerly traced, causing her cheeks to warm as their stares held.  
  
He smirked wryly, exasperated at her impulsiveness but otherwise glad she was all right, remarking pensively, “just when you rush into a battle without thinking… but I believe you’ve done your father justice tonight.”  
  
“Honestly…” she murmured with a soft chuckle even though she kept his hand, smiling in the same manner before reminding, “the night is young, though, and ya can charm me after we finish this.”  
  
“I know,” he lamented, somewhat stung she shoved reality into the fore of what measure of a moment they had, lowering his hand to then lead the way after the panthers with her at his heels.

Seeing the giant panther mummy lower a paw to gobble up the jewel shards offered to him, Korihime gulped as she muttered, “okay, _now_ I’ve seen everything…”  
  
“ **KAGOME**!” A too-familiar yell sounded then, causing her to blink once before looking at the streak of brown that launched himself at the panthers only to be knocked back like a fly when the others' barrier repelled him.  
  
InuYasha huffed at her side, wondering wryly, “dumbass wolf boy, the hell’s he thinkin' blindly charging at 'em?”  
  
“Like _you’re_ the perfect warrior…?” Korihime retorted in the same tone, elbowing him before readying an arrow and ignoring the pout as she proposed, “if you’re done criticizing that dumbass, then ya should know it's smart for you to use a Wind Scar on the barrier when I fire my arrow. Those flea-bags will get destroyed in one hit, and we can put an end to this night.”  
  
Deeming it a good plan, InuYasha's pout shifted to a smirk as he mused, “hate to break it to ya, pedigree, but that won't work without the newest power that Tetsusaiga just got.” He regarded the confused look on her face that changed to a surprised one when the mentioned sword's broad blade pulsed before glowing and bleeding red, causing the wind to kick up a bit. “Let's go!” He barked before rushing forward.  
  
Korihime sobered with a chuckle before she followed her friend until she was at his left, loosing the arrow right as he sliced through the panthers’ barrier and watching it sail for the tribe leader before his large paw smacked it away like if it was a fly.  
  
“That overgrown flea-bag!” She growled, bristling and readying to fire again when a jolt of lightning shot out to break both canines away from each other, causing her to dive out of the way before scrambling up to glare at the four panthers that defended their leader, gripping her bow with both hands.  
  
“Let her be!” A growl rang out as a giant ball of blue energy screamed at the four and sent them flying, surprising the younger wolf who then looked at the new voice's owner with relief. Lowering the sword in hand as their stares met, Sesshomaru glanced away to the now-freed humans and advised her, “you should help those humans leave here… this will only get uglier.”  
  
Korihime quieted and followed his glance before nodding with a slight exhale, returning as she looked up at him before leaving, “look after her for me.” She shrugged her bow onto her shoulder and ran to help her friends. Regarding the panther vassals that stepped in to prevent the villagers plus her human friends from escaping, she flexed her claws as she got closer and growled, “outta the way, flea-bags…!”  
  
She leapt between the humans and felines to start driving them back by slashing at them with her claws, looking away from swatting one to regard the brown-clad trio of wolves that aided her. “Surprised ya chose to help me out, Koga,” she greeted the trio's alpha between ducking another cat's lunge.  
  
“Pfhah, don’t flatter yourself, pedigree! I’m here for _Kagome,_ remember…?” Koga scoffed as he kicked another cat away before ducking to narrowly avoid her bow that smacked a panther away, snapping at her, “h-hey, watch the face!”  
  
“Sorry, didn’t hear a word ya said, mutt-face!” Korihime sang chirpily between ramming the bow’s end into another cat’s throat and sending it flying, slicing at another with her free hand’s claws.  
  
“Shut up, ditz!” Koga barked back, trying and failing to ignore the giggle from his supposed betrothed.  
  
_It’s no wonder Papa chose him for my sister_ , Getsu thought as she glanced over at the other wolves aiding her sister before her ears perked as all four panthers attacked InuYasha at full strength to then be sent flying by another strike from Sesshomaru's Tokijin.  
  
“ _’It wasn’t intentional_ ’ my ass…” she grumbled before deadpanning when the two dogs began exchanging blows between each other. Her exasperation was short-lived, even if for a moment, as the giant panther leader's body gave a tremble before rising up behind the brothers. “Damn it. Oh, boys… **BOYS**!” She shouted, having paled a bit at the sight, pretending they both didn’t wince at her volume.  
  
_“ **WHAT**?_” The brothers yelled back in unison.  
  
Getsu pointed past them at the mummified cat and plainly stated, _“that_.” She bristled as their odd trio watched the giant panther snatch the life forces out of three of his four acolytes before growing brown fur and gold eyes, and she wrinkled her nose. “He’s one demented fur-ball, isn’t he?” She huffed as she drew Mangetsuga.  
  
_‘Sons of the great dog general, you’re next!_ ’ The panther roared as he glared on the brothers.  
  
“ _You’re_ certainly a rude one!” A wide arc of green energy smacked him in the face and made him snarl as he cocked his head back. The she-wolf landed nimbly by her comrades as she looked at the affronted beast and added bitingly, “forgetting that it wasn't _just_ the great general who put you down… surely you remember my father’s face!”  
  
The overgrown cat snarled as he regarded the wolf princess, _‘I know that fang, the fang that was wielded by that bristling mongrel of a lord! You will meet the same fate as your friends, wolf wench!_ ’ He slammed a paw down on her before yowling when a ball of blue fire enveloped her to make him retrieve his burned paw and snarl down at her.  
  
“That ain't my name, flea-bag! **I am Getsuei, firstborn daughter of Lord Kiba, Clan Head of the Western Wolf Tribe**!… you will remember me before you're sent back to whatever hell ya came from!” Getsu proclaimed clearly, flexing her grip on the sword's hilt and streaking forward to cut down the overgrown feline.  
  
InuYasha puffed in something like admiration when the panther punted away his enemy only for the stubborn she-wolf to rush in and send several jets of green energy sailing at his face from her heirloom fang. “No wonder she’s your fiancé, she’s pretty tough for a woman… hey, Sesshomaru!” He barked as his brother rushed in to help her, and he groaned under his breath before he also joined in the fray.  
  
Being knocked back with a swipe of the cat’s paw only to skid to a halt when she dug her heels in, Getsu panted softly and watched the panther beast shoot the claws of his left paw at where the _hanyou_ landed before firing jets of electricity at both brothers from his free paw as they had dropped back. “So the shards are in his throat…” she mused to herself. Sheathing her sword, she flexed her claws and spirited forward into the lightning.  
  
“Getsuei!” _Why was she so damned stubborn…?_ Sesshomaru called before biting back a growl at her brash charge into the proverbial fire, his ears twitching when she used the cat’s right shin for leverage as she bounced off to send balls of fire at him to divert his attention. _Is she trying to get the shards in his throat?_ He wondered.  
  
Getsu latched onto the beast’s right arm when he tried to swat her away, digging her claws in when he shook the limb, and she dug in before launching herself at his throat.  
  
A sharp _‘fwhack_ ’ sounded when the cat’s paw smacked her hard in the front, causing her to give a yelp at being knocked out of the fight. She would’ve hit the solid ground if he didn’t catch her in time, and both dog and wolf demon skidded into the ground.  
  
“I think you’re gonna give ‘im a heart attack if ya keep going at it like that.” InuYasha declared as he released the she-wolf to let her get to her feet and dust herself off.  
  
Getsu rubbed her head and huffed quietly as she remarked, “he's a strong mutt, he can handle a little worry… thanks.” She nodded to him in thanks before cocking a brow when the mentioned dog demon propelled himself at the massive panther with renewed anger in his blows. _He’s fighting for **me** , isn’t he, Papa?_ She wondered, drawing Mangetsuga from its scabbard with a soft puff.  
  
_Was it love?_  
  
“Seein’ as you’re ready to go at it again, I think if we attack him altogether then we’ll finally destroy him… ‘course that’ll only work if Sesshomaru can bare to fight with me for once. If this thing's undead then it'd be easy to cut him down with a sword meant to destroy things from the underworld.” InuYasha suggested as he noted the far-off look in her lovely face that fell away when their eyes met.  
  
Getsu slapped him on the back with a playful smile on her face. “Sounds like the best idea that I’ve heard all night. Sesshomaru, get ready!” She called as he bounced back after dodging a particularly-sharp swipe for his chest from the massive mummy.  
  
Landing between the two, Sesshomaru regarded their matching determined expressions and huffed as he gripped the hilt of Tokijin, musing to her, “I can’t believe you’re choosing an idea proposed by _him_ of all people.” At least he had saved her from getting injured, and maybe one day— not too soon though— he would thank him for that.  
  
But not today.  
  
“You can beat the hell outta each other later, let’s just finish this.” Getsu declared patiently when the younger dog demon began to bark a returning insult, looking to the older as she advised, “use Tensaiga to take his powers away, and we’ll finish him off with a combined attack from Tetsusaiga and Mangetsuga.”  
  
InuYasha had figured it out before either of them had… that was _almost_ impressive. Sesshomaru nodded, letting a slight smirk cross his lips meant for his fiancé, before he led the charge.  
  
_‘You entitled mongrel, you’re my next victim!_ ’ The mummified cat vowed before perking up as the dog demon swung at him with the fang of heaven and dodged a reflexive swipe from his paw. ‘ _Fool, that worthless blade cannot cut…!’_ His words left him as the attack had stolen his power.  
  
“ _Wind Scar!_ ”  
  
“ _Dying Wolf’s Blood!_ ”  
  
A vicious torrent of wind and a sharp arc of green energy came from both canines' respective swords, morphing into one fatal blow that screamed at the wounded mummy to then rip him to shreds until three shiny shards remained on the ground where he was felled.  
  
“Finally,” InuYasha muttered as he took the shards from the ground.  
  
Getsu wrinkled her nose as she sheathed her katana, lamenting, “pretty sure I developed a cat-allergy…” she then reached into her yukata collar and withdrew the two shards taken from Kagura weeks ago, watching him perk up, adding calmly, “give these to Kagome for me, wouldja? Kori said they were originally Koga's before Kagura stole them, but I think they’re safer with you lot.”  
  
“And _you_ stole these from Kagura? How?” InuYasha asked, calming a bit at her offer and taking the shards before he looked at her.  
  
Getsu shrugged innocently and answered, “they were a bargaining chip of hers. Pretty lame attempt, though, for all intents and purposes, considerin' she was barking up the wrong tree.”  
  
Smirking wryly at what she meant, the _hanyou_ cocked a brow and wondered, “sure ya weren’t meant to be a kitsune _instead?_ That’s pretty crafty, Getsu.”  
  
“Indeed it is.” His brother agreed calmly as he came up to the odd pair, ignoring her slight wince when he placed his hand on her shoulder and urged her, “we should go.”  
  
She pouted at him before looking at the four panthers as they came up to them. “Can’t honestly wanna continue where we left off, _do you_ , Tohran?” She wondered blandly of their leader.  
  
The panther scoffed in return and replied, earning a surprised look from the other woman, “I’ve seen enough for one night. We will return to the west, as there’s no need to continue seeking vengeance on your pack.”  
  
“Fair enough, just keep in mind that I won’t be so kind if your tribe comes back here.” The she-wolf warned with a wry smirk.  
  
“Ya might not wanna forget _this_ then,” the younger dog demon came up and dropped the flailing imp before she and his brother, nodding to her as he added, “I’m sure you could find a better use for ‘im than I could.”  
  
His brother rolled his eyes before huffing as he mused, “we’re going.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ch 1 of 2 fight scene filled chaps. enjoy!


	12. Little Sister

He wasn’t sure if it was because they were females or because they were wolf demons, but he found it rather amusing to see the girls enjoyed peaceful days like this. Of course he found it relaxing, too, given the girl and imp had left the previous night to get food and had yet to return.  
  
“The moon looks different…” mused the younger she-wolf as day had turned to dusk, looking at the stars that seemed brighter with the growing dark.  
  
The older she-wolf looked up at the mentioned orb to find it had bled crimson instead of being stark white, frowning a bit before she resumed the task of polishing her sword. “It’s been some time since I’ve seen a blood moon,” she said pensively.  
  
In fact, the last time she had seen a blood moon was the night before her parents died.  
  
He regarded the melancholic look that darkened her eyes for a moment before his ears twitched when the winds then changed direction, looking from the sisters to the imp at his anxious call.  
  
“We were starting to wonder,” she greeted blandly as she sat up from lounging in the grass, cocking a brow at seeing the worried look on Jaken's face and finding they were shy one human girl.  
  
Sheathing her sword with a quiet _'clink'_ , she frowned at seeing the same issue and asking the toad, “Jaken, where’s Rin?” Even as the question came out, a bad feeling settled in the pit of her stomach regarding his answer.  
  
“T-that’s just it, she was abducted by Kagura, Naraku’s incarnation!” The imp declared, surprising the younger wolf while her sister’s gaze darkened in realization. He looked on his master who acknowledged both females’ reactions with a blasé expression, giving a gulp before he began, “Milord…”  
  
A familiar buzzing hummed in the darkness. “Let me assure you, Lord Sesshomaru, if you heed my request I will return Rin to you in good health.” Naraku declared as he appeared to them donned in his baboon pelt.  
  
“Where’ve you taken her?” Korihime demanded, bristling at his being responsible, straightening to step up to the puppet.  
  
Sesshomaru regarded the spike in her _yoki_ at the news and looked on their visitor as he asked blandly, “so, what do you have up your sleeve this time?”  
  
“The task is simply that I want you to kill InuYasha.” Naraku stated calmly, doing a fine job of ignoring the fact that he was on thin ice with the two she-wolves.  
  
“Why go through the trouble of doing something so trivial?” Sesshomaru huffed with a rueful smirk before he severed the head from the rest of the puppet’s pelt with his claws.  
  
His nose gave a slight wrinkle when the illusion disappeared to show a pile of dirt with a small wooden puppet in the rubble, and he wondered aloud, “does Naraku honestly think he can goad me into action by threatening the life of a human girl?”  
  
Jaken balked slightly. “Will you turn away and forsake her, then?” He asked, watching his master turn away and start walking, pressing, “Milord, where are you going?”  
  
Securing the heirloom sword at her hip, Getsu rolled her eyes at his stoic state and puffed. “Kori, come on,” she urged as she strode off in the direction the insects flew with her sister following to come to her left.  
  
“You know as well as I that it’s a trap.” Sesshomaru pointed out, pausing to watch them leave, his eyes locked on the older female.  
  
“Welp, _someone_ 's gotta care about Rin if you refuse to. I ain't about to stop you from going off to sulk and brood like I _know_ you're gonna do, so don’t bother stoppin' Kori and me.” Getsu replied coolly over her shoulder.  
  
Brow giving an exasperated twitch, Sesshomaru sighed shortly at her impulsive nature and groused, “I do _not_ sulk…” He strode after the women, knowing without a shred of doubt that his princess would get herself in over her head, again, and he knew even moreso that the girls' combined brashness would be the death of them.  
  
That was _definitely_ something he refused to live with for the rest of his life.  
  
“W-wait for me, Milord!” Jaken squawked before he raced after the trio.

“You purposefully leaked your scent and lowered the barrier so that we would follow you to your castle.” Sesshomaru didn’t question their host.  
  
Spouts of blue fire came to life in the torches on either side of the wooden stairwell of the walkway wrapped around the main building.  
  
“Would you have come _otherwise?_ Actually, let me rephrase my question: if your companions hadn’t come to kill me for endangering your human child, would you have come at all?” Naraku remarked as his pelt-covered person appeared before them at the top of the stairwell.  
  
_This isn’t a puppet, if his overbearing stench is anything to go on… this is the **real** Naraku_, Korihime realized with some shock that she kept hidden, glancing at her sister who seemed to realize the same if the slight spike in the other's _yoki_ was anything to go by.  
  
Naraku added, “though I must tell you that the girl isn’t here, rather she would surely die with my miasma. For now, she’s safe.”  
  
“At least do me the honor of believing I _didn't_ come just because of Rin, Naraku,” Sesshomaru retorted coolly.  
  
Getsu glanced over at him and bit back a huff as she thought, _you’re only here because ya can’t stand for me to be reckless._  
  
“Of course. You of all people despise being ordered around… you and your fiancé, at least. No, I understand that you won’t kill InuYasha because you were ordered to do it, nor did you come just to save the girl. I realize that you’re simply here to kill me.” Naraku stated with a smirk.  
  
Sesshomaru cracked a wry smirk in turn. “You sound like you’ve successfully led me into your trap… maybe I’ll have you explain it to me if you survive the night, afterward,” he mused, flexing his claws as his _yoki_ spiked.  
  
_**Now** he cares_… Korihime thought with an internal shake of the head, having folded her arms at her chest.  
  
Naraku’s smirk was clear in his drawl, “I’m honored that you came, Lord Sesshomaru, even moreso as you brought your beautiful companions with you. I suppose it’s only fair that I accept your challenge…!”  
  
Watching various limbs erupt from beneath the baboon pelt as his body stretched and creaked and transformed before them, Getsu's nose wrinkled in disgust as she said off-handedly, “my sister was right in sayin' you’re just a vile _hanyou_ who gobbled up a bunch of lesser demons. This must be your actual form, I imagine?”  
  
“ _’True form’?_ No, my dear Lady, my body is far from complete!” Naraku returned as a long spindly spider leg shot out and struck at the footing of the three canines who dodged the attack.  
  
Korihime huffed as she readied an icy arrow and guessed, “so your true form is _uglier?_ ” She let it fly to freeze the leg and hopped back as another limb made to strike at her. _I don’t understand, why would he summon Sesshomaru here… he couldn’t hope to ever kill a demon of his caliber. Unless… no, he wouldn’t. Would he?_ She mused, glaring at the _hanyou_ with a newer modicum of annoyance.  
  
“Naraku, you truly are a lowly _hanyou_. You couldn’t ever hope to have the power or resources to hurt me,” Sesshomaru huffed as he sliced a few limbs that struck at him with Tokijin, glancing down when feeling one of the reformed limbs latch onto his left leg from behind seconds later, and he looked up when the half-breed sent another six limbs streaking at him.  
  
A sharp arc of teal energy destroyed the limbs with ease, and the sword’s wielder flexed her grip on the hilt. “Ya must be one desperate bastard,” she hummed dangerously as her _yoki_ spiked with her revulsion.  
  
The trio simultaneously dodged the next dozen plus limbs that flew at them, most of them being taken out by Sesshomaru while Getsu and Korihime ripped at the remainder with their respective claws, as they dropped back another yard.  
  
Seeing the limbs they had destroyed twitch around the dog demon, the younger she-wolf growled in disgust as one mushy piece of a limb dropped to land on his shoulder guard and seemed to cling to him. _That explains everything… he’s trying to absorb Sesshomaru into his body! That vile sunnuva_ … a familiar scent caught in her nose and she sharply looked away at recognizing the newcomer who had broken through the barrier.  
  
“Kagura, go.” Naraku snapped at the sorceress who flew off to tend to the problem.  
  
Sesshomaru glanced at Korihime who spirited after the other woman at top speed, and he regarded the darkenening of the _hanyou_ ’s eyes as he drawled, “an unexpected guest, then? How unfortunate for him, Naraku. By the time he gets here, you’ll be dead!” He sent a sharp blast from Tokijin flying forward to rip apart the limbs.

Blocking the low-level blows and rushing at the wind demon, InuYasha huffed as he barked, “you’re gonna have to do better than that!”  
  
Sensing a horde coming, Kagura looked up to see the lesser demons coming closer to them and she relaxed slightly at seeing the opportunity to not fight the _hanyou_. The winds picked up around her as she took a feather from her bun and lifted into the sky to run just as the horde descended.  
  
“Wind Scar!” He sent a blast of energy at the first of the horde and cut them down before glaring as more demons sailed at him, scoffing as he added dryly, “talk about a nuisance!”  
  
“You’re telling me!” Loosing the arrow and making the sleeve of demons freeze before they fell to the ground and shattered into pieces, Korihime jogged over to his side and smirked as she greeted him, “your Wind Scar made it easier for me to find ya.”  
  
InuYasha sent another blast at the demons, watching her loose another arrow before he remarked, “I guess you’re not attacking Naraku just for the hell of it, if Sesshomaru and Getsu are here, too.”  
  
“You got it. Naraku took one of ours captive so, as is his way, your big brother stormed the place to kill 'im.” Korihime lamented, letting him power up another Wind Scar as she aimed at the oncoming remainder of the horde, firing when he released the attack as their combined blows ripped the demons to shreds.  
  
_I just hope he lives, for Getsu’s sake_.

“Damn it…” bouncing back to dig her heels into the ground, Getsu balked slightly when he was ensnared in the limbs. “Sesshomaru!” She barked as she started to run to his aid.  
  
Sesshomaru glared back at her. “Stay away, Getsu! Do as I say,” he ordered sharply, finding a newer sense of loathing for Naraku at the look of horror that crossed her face when she skidded to a halt.  
  
Laughing darkly as he absorbed the dog demon in his limbs, Naraku sent four dragon limbs at the she-wolf and said, “I wouldn’t worry too long, you’ll soon join your beloved!”  
  
A high wall of blue fire cut off the limbs from reaching her, surprising him for a moment, and Getsu glowered at him as she growled back, “you're delusional if y'think you'll get me, too!”  
  
_Yoki_ flaring wildly around her, she loped towards him before narrowly dodging a thick green limb that would’ve caught her waist, and she bounced away to touch down. Digging her heels into the dry ground, she caused two vicious flamethrowers to rise up from the earth and scream at the _hanyou_ , torching the limbs he sent at her so not even their ashes remained.  
  
Naraku chortled as the flames died down and he regarded the unwavering hatred that darkened her narrowed eyes. “It’s true that you are the head of your clan… or what’s _left_ of it. Absorbing your powers will make me invincible!” He sang before sending another volley of limbs at the she-wolf, raising a brow when she barreled right for the limbs, and wondering with a scoff, “how reckless could you be, I wonder?”  
  
Ignoring his taunts as she burned through the limbs, Getsu slashed at another thick dragon limb that tried to grab her scruff before sending a searing flamethrower from her free hand to squarely hit his chest. Smirking at the snarled oath of pain from her enemy, she leapt away to land by the pile of limbs that enveloped her other half, engulfing them in blue flames that she concentrated her _yoki_ into to cook it so it would be easier to break with a solid blow.  
  
“Sesshomaru, I know you can hear me… don’t let this shitstain absorb you; you’re too strong for that, you hear me? Don’t leave me here…” she stated sternly.  
  
Just as she could see that her plan was working, something hard slapped her away and made her fall back to hit the ground. Her head spun before she grunted and slightly picked herself up, voicing an angry growl as she glared at the _hanyou_ whose limbs flew at her, cursing him, “you disgusting sunnuva…!” She perked up as she sensed her sister’s _yoki_ coming fast.  
  
Naraku began to send his limbs to snatch her up when he too felt the wildly flaring _yoki_ of the other she-wolf, before he looked up seconds to being frozen on the spot by pink ice.  
  
“ _Getsu!”_ As they both landed nimbly from having scaled the high castle wall, Korihime helped her sister to her feet and sighed in relief as she said, “I’m glad we got here in time.”  
  
InuYasha regarded the frozen _hanyou_ with a huff before he looked around and asked the other she-wolf, “where’s Sesshomaru?”  
  
A cracking sounded then, earning the trio’s attention as they looked at the frozen limb cocoon, before said dog demon broke it open wielding Tokijin that had defended him.  
  
“Sesshomaru!” Korihime beamed at seeing him alive and free, perking up as her sister brushed past her.  
  
Looking from the frozen half-breed to his brother and the younger she-wolf present, Sesshomaru huffed as he said, “I thought I recognized your aura, Kori…”  
  
“ _Idiotic dog!_ ” Getsu cut him off with annoyance in her voice and, before he could rebut, she threw her arms around him in a tight embrace. “I should kill you for scaring me like that, lettin' yourself get caught by that disgusting weasel…” she quieted when his arm possessively held her to his chest, and she relaxed with a tired exhale.  
  
InuYasha wrinkled his nose and made a disgusted noise as he groused, “inhaling Naraku’s stink and then seein’ _this_ … I think I’m gonna be sick.”  
  
“Like _you_ don’t have these moments with _Kagome_ …” Korihime teased as she stuck her tongue out at him, grinning cheerily at his returning pout, before her ears perked as she heard the ice beginning to crack and she grumbled, “damn him.”  
  
Hearing the ice shatter, Sesshomaru and Getsu dropped back by their younger siblings, and the former flexed his grip on Tokijin as he puffed, “it's a shame the ice didn’t completely freeze him.”  
  
“That was crafty of you, Princess Korihime, but it won’t be enough to stop me!” Naraku chortled as he stretched higher on his limbs and sent several streaking at the four.  
  
“InuYasha, if we hit him together we can destroy him!” Getsu declared as she and Sesshomaru dodged the limbs before ripping them apart with he the Tokijin and she her fire, looking over at the younger dog demon who had snatched her sister out of the way.  
  
Swinging the Tetsusaiga to send a sharp blast screaming at the other _hanyou_ , InuYasha agreed blandly, “that all depends if _Sesshomaru_ can handle joining forces with me!”  
  
“You don’t think I can _handle it_ , do you?” Sesshomaru growled out as he struck with Tokijin again and sent a blast of his own at the limbs, noting they were chopping the viler half-breed down to size with each blow before he added to his brother, “don’t overestimate yourself, _baka-hanyou_.”  
  
Korihime shook her head after tearing into the limbs with ice-encased fists. “Boys, get your heads outta your asses!” She scolded impatiently, making a note to beat the both of them with her bow when this night was over, adding in the same tone, “between the four of us, we can take Naraku down if we all utilize our strength. So **focus** , damn it!”  
  
“Keh, I'm startin' to see _how_ ya beat Koga's ass…” InuYasha began annoyedly before stiffening when she shot him a cold look, and he gripped the Tetsusaiga before being first to barrel for the other half-breed, barking at his comrades, “ _now!”_  
  
This was either an insane or genius idea, but still… Sesshomaru shortly sent a vicious blast of blue energy sailing at their foe, looking at the sisters as a high rift of ice from Korihime and a furious wave of blue fire from Getsu tailed his attack.  
  
Shock was written across Naraku’s face as the attacks collided and ripped apart his body so only his torso remained, and he looked at the four canines before becoming enveloped in a funnel of his miasma.  
  
“He’s escaping…” Korihime breathed as the funnel rose up into the darkened skies.  
  
Getsu straightened slightly and her lip curled in disgust as she groused, “damn coward.”  
  
“Lord Sesshomaru, Princesses of the West, I will withdraw for now. But rather than pursue me, shouldn’t you worry about that mortal girl of yours? She’s with a boy named Kohaku… even _you,_ InuYasha, should know what that means!” Naraku’s voice came from the miasma before it took off into the night.  
  
_Yoki_ flaring, Sesshomaru bared his teeth. “ **How dare you think you can escape my grasp**?” He demanded lowly of their fleeing enemy.  
  
Korihime stiffened when his eyes bled red and the markings on his cheeks lengthened, starting to warn him, “Sesshomaru, don’t…”  
  
“ **Sesshomaru** , enough.” Getsu ordered as she grabbed his arm, feeling him stiffen before he looked at her, her stare locking with his before she relaxed when his spiked aura slowly calmed. She lowered her hand to then glance down when he took it in his and meet his stare that was gold instead of red, causing her eyes to soften.  
  
“C'mon, we can prolly catch up to your pack faster…” Korihime proposed as she fisted a hand in InuYasha's sleeve and dragged him along as they left the courtyard to find Rin.  
  
“You truly think I’m that strong?” Sesshomaru wondered as he noted the scratches on her face with a slight frown that crossed his brow. She did all she could to try and save him and, even if he had scarcely felt it before, let alone for a woman like her… it had to be love.  
  
Getsu cracked a wry smile as she glanced away at his frown and advised, “don’t make that face…” She paused when he stroked her cheek, smiling again albeit softer before she began carefully, “as much as I’m sure you think it foolish, or a child’s fairytale, Sesshomaru, I…”  
  
“I know. You wouldn’t do what you did, what you’ve done until now, if you didn’t think I shared your feelings.” Sesshomaru interrupted quietly, watching surprise brighten her eyes with a soft look that adorned his gaze.  
  
“I-I… um, we still need to find Rin,” Getsu reminded, clearing her throat and flashing a shy smile at him before a slight squeak escaped her when his arm found her waist again and they flew out of the castle. “H-hey, Sesshomaru…!” She exclaimed.

“Get away from my pup!” Sending the boy bouncing back from her punch, Getsu gathered the unconscious girl in her arms and glared at the boy Kohaku who picked himself up from her attack. _His eyes are clouded… this’s the pup Naraku is using,_ she thought grimly.  
  
Sesshomaru flexed his claws as the boy recognized she wasn’t alone and turned to face him, and he huffed as he wondered, “you turn your blade against _me_ now?”  
  
“Kohaku!” InuYasha exclaimed as he, Korihime and Kagome arrived at last.  
  
“Rin!” Korihime barked, rushing to her sister’s side with Kagome following, before she relaxed at the relief in her sister’s gaze and mused, “glad you two showed up before we did.”  
  
Kagome looked at the girl and smiled as she added, “she’s just unconscious.”  
  
InuYasha scowled at his sibling, “the girl’s fine, so let him go, Sesshomaru.” He perked up when Kohaku swung the sickle at his brother and punted it away in time before Sesshomaru darted past him to hold the boy by the throat, snapping at him, “don’t kill him, Sesshomaru, or I’ll kill you for it!”  
  
“That was generous of you; I didn’t know you’d gotten soft on me, InuYasha…” Sesshomaru drawled before looking at the boy in his grip, also noting the bewitched look in his eyes, and he bristled as he automatically hated how he looked at him.  
  
Korihime relaxed when he dropped the boy and perked her ears as their pup was coming to, smiling at her as she opened her eyes and wondering gently, “Rin?”  
  
“Lord Sesshomaru!” Rin declared as she saw him first before the sisters, but her smile fell when she saw the boy and she asked, “Kohaku, what is it?”  
  
Getsu frowned slightly when Kohaku ran off into the forest only to be taken into the air by Kagura and her giant feather, exhaling as she muttered, “gods know where they’re off to…” _Still, Naraku will need time to regain himself after we wounded him like that. After what he did to Sesshomaru and to me… he won’t live long,_ she thought.  
  
“You knew about it?” InuYasha asked incredulously of his brother.  
  
Sesshomaru scoffed slightly, “he was acting on Naraku’s orders, and I refuse to play by his rules. Girls, come on,” he said as he glanced at the sisters before starting off.  
  
Getsu smiled wryly at both _hanyou_ and priestess before she jogged after him until she was at his right.  
  
Rin followed shortly before giving a laugh when she was hoisted up by Korihime who let her ride on her shoulders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ch 2 of 2 of fight-scene filled chaps. thanks for reading, guys! also as a head's up i'm gonna incorporate a SoaHR filler chap before the Kanketsu-Hen arc soooo get excited! :)


	13. of Oxen and Tigers

“You stayed still enough for Rin to measure your head…”  
  
“I’m not wearing it.”  
  
“But…”  
  
“ **No**.”  
  
“Sesshomaru…!”  
  
“Absolutely not.”  
  
“ _Onii-san…_ ”  
  
A very unamused frown seemed glued to his brow as he regarded the puppy-dog look on her pale face before he said flatly, “that's not working, either.”  
  
“ _Now_ what’re you tryin' to do…?” Her sister asked patiently, having finished polishing her katana and returning it to its scabbard before coming to see what the commotion was about, blinking when the offended party then deposited a crown of yellow and lavender wildflowers into her free hand.  
  
Shooting a sore scowl back at him, she scoffed and suggested in the same tone, “ _you_ take a whack at it, your face is way more effective than mine… overgrown entitled flea-bag…” She then left the two to tend to the girl.  
  
Getsu gave a quiet scoff, amused at seeing what her task had been, propping the sword against his handy tree before plonking down at his side. “I think you ruffled her feathers,” she observed.  
  
“Only because her puppy-dog eyes didn’t work on me… I still can’t believe she wants me to wear that.” Sesshomaru remarked with a sniff, shooting a look at the flower-crown she held.  
  
“I doubt it's so much Kori as it was Rin, y’know she likes picking flowers for you… wouldn’t kill ya to knuckle under once in a while.” She reasoned pensively, stifling a yawn and half-hoping he hadn’t heard the last bit.  
  
Ears perking at the mention of the girl, he gave a scoff at her comment and said defensively, “ _’knuckling under’_ is a ridiculous notion that I refuse to adhere to.”  
  
“You've been known to _reconsider_ that in past instances, dog-breath,” she remarked with a huff, smirking proudly when he scoffed and cut his gaze elsewhere before sobering and urging with a slight exhale, “just wear the damn crown.”  
  
He huffed and remarked flippantly, “if I refused to wear it when your sister asked me, why would I change my mind _now_ …? Getsu, get off me!” He stiffened a bit when she leaned onto him in an attempt to fit the crown on his head, trying to pry her hands away as he snapped, “I said I’m not wearing it!”  
  
“Either wear it on your head or lemme find _somewhere else_ to put it, Sesshomaru!” She fired back as she rocked back to dodge his swipes, looking at the crown when his resistance made the flowers flutter away as they came free before she snapped, “you overgrown flea-bag, you’re messing up the crown!”  
  
Shifting herself as she tried again, she straddled his waist and would have been successful if he didn't snatch her wrists in time and hold her arms above her head. She growled at him as their eyes locked, the scowl on her brow matching his, as their noses almost touched.  
  
Rin blinked once at seeing the two scuffle under the tree, looking at her babysitter as she asked, “what’s Getsu-onee fighting with Lord Sesshomaru for?”  
  
“Well that could be a _number_ of things, Rin…” Korihime sighed the answer before trailing off at also regarding the indecent position the odd pair were in, clearing her throat and smiling at the girl as she said brightly, “c'mon, let’s leave them be and go find some fish or newts to snack on!” She ushered her away to the edges of the wood not far from their camp.  
  
“Newts _again?_ Is that all you wolves ever eat…” Jaken started to ask exasperatedly before voicing a squawk when her clawed hand snatched him by the scruff so the two could have their moment.  
  
“Your stubbornness might get you killed one day…” Sesshomaru breathed with a pointed edge in his voice as he looked at her irritable silver gaze.  
  
Getsu puffed softly as she regarded the ruined crown in hand, shaking off his grip on her wrists to put it aside. “' **Might** ' is a pretty strong word, considerin' who you're talking to…” she remarked in a quieted tone, her cheeks burning when she acknowledged their indecent position, and she considered getting off him only to be caught by his tug on her obi.  
  
“ _If_ it ever happens,” he stated, adding with a somewhat-familiar softening of his eyes, “but it won't, with me around.”  
  
She paused at his confidence and smiled in spite of her general shyness at being so close to him, hugging his neck with her arms. “Sorry that I’ve worried you lately, in battle. But ya shouldn’t think like that… I'm not about to leave you or the girls. Kinda hard to, anyway, given _you_ can’t stay out of trouble or think rationally without me,” she pointed out with a slight shrug, her smile shifting for a smirk as their stares held.  
  
He returned the smirk as his hand at her obi gave her waist a squeeze and he quoted, “ _’because you’re obviously important around here_ ’, I think were your words.”  
  
Getsu gave him a look in defeat, releasing his neck of one hand to smack his chest as she began, “don’t patronize me _now_ , ya overgrown mu…” She quieted when his lips covered hers, and her back arched as she reciprocated eagerly, feeling his possessive grip on her waist tighten, using the same hand to push off his chest as she breathed a complaint, “how rude of you, my dear lord.” She smiled playfully at the darkening of his eyes that burned into her stare.  
  
“Then don’t patronize me, princess.” Sesshomaru returned knowingly, his voice low, before he silenced her with another kiss.

Rin yelped when the giant arm released her and she would’ve fallen if she wasn’t snatched by the younger she-wolf.  
  
“Saimyosho?” Getsu wondered annoyedly as she drew her sword when the hand morphed into a swarm of said insects before changing back. _Why did he leave those things behind? Unless he didn’t…_ she thought.  
  
Sesshomaru glanced back at the imp, “talk about annoying vermin… Jaken, find the hive. It should be nearby.”  
  
“I think _that’s_ an understatement…” Korihime huffed as he slashed at the swarm with Tokijin only for the wasps to regroup and leave him back at square one.  
  
“There’s the hive up there!” Rin exclaimed as she pointed up at a tree near them where a cluster of the familiar hives was.  
  
Jaken perked up as the insects charged for the girl and he snapped, “get down, Rin!” Before he used the staff’s fire to burn them.  
  
Korihime slightly grunted as she extended her left hand at the oncoming pests and froze them to prevent her pack from being stung, lowering her hand as the frozen insects hit the ground in pieces.  
  
“That was awesome, Kori-onee!” Rin said behind her as she popped back up.  
  
Getsu nodded along in agreement before regarding the insects that hadn’t been frozen in mid-air zipped towards them with renewed numbers from the hive cluster. Flexing her claws as she glanced over at him, she sang, “ready when you are!”  
  
“Jaken, get down!” Korihime declared as she and Rin ducked behind a bush just as Sesshomaru and Getsu unleashed a volley from his sword and her fire at the tree that had the hives. She looked up at hearing a loud crack as the tree fell with their combined attack, looking over at the couple as she confirmed, “looks like ya got them!”  
  
“That still doesn’t explain why we came across them…” Getsu mused, trailing off when three remaining Saimyosho had snuck up on the imp to sting his left arm and made him yell in pain, before flying off. She shook her head when Sesshomaru took off after the insects and shortly followed him with Korihime at her heels.

“So they’re like bees…”  
  
“That would make sense, given they die when they lose their stingers.”  
  
Looking away from the battling brothers, Kagome chose to ask, “so you guys were following the Saimyosho to find Naraku, too?”  
  
Getsu nodded and admitted, “yep, though we didn’t expect to run into you lot again.”  
  
“If those two weren't so damn pig-headed we'd prolly be able to get somewhere,” Korihime lamented as she looked at the brothers, looking away to the human trio and wondering, “but since we’re basically allies in terms of hunting that creep, ya wouldn’t happen to know about Naraku’s whereabouts, would you?”  
  
Smiling wryly at the other's comment about their companions, Kagome nodded as she answered, “I’m pretty sure someone said they sensed his presence in the direction of the Ox Tiger.”  
  
“Pretty sure InuYasha would say _otherwise_ if he heard you say we’re on the same side…” Shippo pointed out from his perch on Korihime's shoulder.  
  
“So would _Sesshomaru,_ ” Getsu agreed with a slight puff, pinching the bridge of her nose when the named dog demon punted his brother away from the heirloom sword and back on his rear, and she muttered exasperatedly, “not again…”  
  
“Are you prepared to die, InuYasha?” Sesshomaru asked as he had the other at his mercy.  
  
InuYasha scoffed as he snapped, “I don’t care about my life, so go ahead!”  
  
“Dumbass One and Two, cut the theatrics for today! We know where Naraku's at now, so let's shake a leg,” Getsu called calmly as she approached the brothers.  
  
“Kagome, what’d you tell _them_ for!” InuYasha barked annoyedly at the priestess before he stiffened as his brother retrieved Tokijin.  
  
"Because _you're_ bein' a dumbass, that's why!" Korihime returned patiently, handing the kitsune to the priestess and smiling at the odd party as she added, “thanks guys, and best of luck.” She turned to follow her sister away to where they had left Rin and Jaken.  
  
“Hang on, Sesshomaru, why're you lot after Naraku?” InuYasha demanded as the odd trio were walking away, having stuck his tongue out at Korihime when she skipped past him.  
  
Sesshomaru huffed and replied over his shoulder, “I have a score to settle.” He continued leading their way back to the forest without another word.

“Let me see if I get this right… ya wasted the whole day here in the forest, writhing in pain, and let Rin go off on her own _to which she nearly died!?_ ” Korihime demanded loudly as she conked the imp with her bow before proceeding to do it a couple of more times.  
  
Sesshomaru looked from the annoyed princess to her sister who was fastening the bridles on Ah-Un. “So he fled to the northeast… you could've at least told me you asked for directions from that priestess,” he mused as she finished tending to the dragon.  
  
“I considered it but _didn't_ because you were busy kickin' your brother's ass… 'sides, we got the information by asking politely, so don’t make a stink about where it came from.” Getsu returned as she gently scritched Un’s chin before turning to him and cocking an expectant brow at his somewhat-miffed look.  
  
Shaking his head as he considered retorting before reconsidering it and giving a slight puff, Sesshomaru looked to their odd pack and announced that they were leaving before he started walking with Getsu at his side.


	14. Hounds

Her brow twitched at hearing the imp’s squawking not far from them, and she wondered with a sigh, “ _now_ what'd he do…?”  
  
“I’ll get him, no doubt he pissed someone off, again…” she assured in the same tone, loping away through the brush to see what the commotion was all about.  
  
“…We’ll take you on if it’s a fight you’re looking for!” One of the two wolf demons vowed brazenly.  
  
A rustling of the brush came from behind the girl and imp before the she-wolf emerged. Scowling at the imp, she asked dryly, “what'd you stick your nose into _this time_ , Jaken…?”  
  
“Kori-onee!” The girl said in relief, scrambling to hide behind her babysitter who was a far better shield in comparison to the imp.  
  
Korihime frowned at her spooked pup, looking to what she was afraid of and blinking once at the sight. “Hakkaku and Ginta? What’re you two doing here…?” She asked confusedly.  
  
“ _ **Kori-chan**!_” The brothers exclaimed as they zipped forward to sandwich her in a tight embrace, earning a yelp from the she-wolf.  
  
“Hang on a second, you know these wolves?” Jaken demanded annoyedly.  
  
Gently prying the brothers off, Korihime laughed as she started to explain, “it’s kind of a long story…”  
  
“Kori, what was it?” Her sister called patiently, and the brush rustled again as the missing couple came upon the scene. Raising a brow at the wolf pack, the other she-wolf sobered as she mused aloud, “oh, it's just you two…”  
  
There was nothing to be concerned with, apparently, if it was only Ginta and Hakkaku. But if it were _all three_ of the wolves, Koga included… that could be interesting, if not concerning.  
  
“I assume you know these two… mongrels?” Sesshomaru asked as he looked between his females, regarding the mentioned pair of wolves who stiffened at being exposed to his otherwise-intimidating presence.  
  
Korihime smiled sheepishly as she tried to explain again, “well, they’re technically related…”  
  
“H-hey, who’re you to call us mongrels, anyway?” Hakkaku barked at the insult.  
  
Ginta agreed, “yeah, that’s a joke coming from you…!”  
  
Both brothers simultaneously gulped at sensing they had annoyed the dog demon, and even their wolves whimpered as they backed away. “ **W-we’ll talk with ya later, Kori-chan**!” They said in chorus before racing down the river with the wolves at their heels.  
  
Getsu deadpanned as she watched them go and mused blandly, “well _that_ was pointless… Koga clearly can't pick good men worth anythin' if he's stuck with those two.”  
  
“Pretty sure they were scared of Sesshomaru lopping their heads off… but you're right about Koga’s poor choices, considerin' it explains _why_ he’s in the situation he’s in.” Korihime agreed thoughtfully.  
  
Even though they brushed off the chance encounter, both sisters had the distinct feeling they hadn’t seen the last of the wolves just yet.

_I don’t think he’d hesitate to kill you two… and I’m starting to not blame him_ … Getsu mused as she slapped her forehead.  
  
She and Korihime, after having a good day with Rin, had ironically been talking about Koga before their pack ran into Ginta and Hakkaku.  
  
Again.  
  
“Great moon…” Korihime grumbled, also slapping her forehead, as they were witness to the brothers’ attempts to intimidate Sesshomaru. She knew _why_ they had popped in again, as Sesshomaru and Koga had never exactly met face to face, but whether either party had any cause for worry regarding the meet was still up in the air.  
  
“Clear the road.” Both sisters glanced at Sesshomaru as he spoke with some annoyance in his voice, and he repeated it once as he stepped forward.  
  
“They’re trying to get themselves killed…” Korihime sighed.  
  
“Please, they issued their own death sentences when they started prancin' around,” Getsu agreed with a huff. Ears perking as the brothers were prattling between themselves about dragging Koga away to avoid a fight, she looked at the nearby incline to see the named clan head had found them.  
  
Regarding the scene before his blue eyes settled on the dog demon, Koga raised a brow as he asked, “who the hell’re you?” He then hopped off the incline to land by his packmates and observed blandly, “he reeks like that mutt, InuYasha…”  
  
“Because they’re brothers, mutt-face.” Korihime answered patiently, choosing to stick her foot in before the fur could fly, adding when Sesshomaru shot her a look, “they just don’t act like it.”  
  
_Couldn’t have said it better_ , Getsu thought with a sagely nod before she looked at Rin who suddenly adopted a nervous look, frowning as she asked her, “Rin, you okay?”  
  
“So _you’re_ InuYasha’s brother, though you’re obviously not a half-breed…” Koga said with a slight nod before he smirked wryly at the look from said dog demon and added, “huh, looks like I struck a nerve.” He didn’t miss the sharp look from the younger princess at his jab.  
  
_Good grief, Ginta and Hakkaku were right_ … Korihime thought before perking up when Sesshomaru moved forward as both she and Getsu caught whiff of a stranger coming fast, starting in his wake, “Sesshomaru…”  
  
“Stay with Rin.” Getsu instructed her, bristling when a fat purple ogre rushed at them from the trees looking for jewel shards, preferably the ones in Koga’s possession. “Don’t hog all of the kill!” She chided said wolf who had leapt at the beast, following him to rip the ogre’s head from its body with her claws and then land nimbly when the beast fell from their combined blows.  
  
Koga looked at her and smirked as he remarked, “ya move pretty quick for a pedigree…”  
  
“Help me, Master Jaken!” Rin exclaimed as she ducked when a large centipede beast popped up and attempted to eat her.  
  
“No humans for you, giant worm!” Koga kicked the beast’s front legs off and narrowly avoided getting shot by an arrow from below. He looked at the frozen centipede and rammed a well-placed kick into its chest to watch it shatter like glass, making a face as he looked over at the archer and scolded, “why dont'cha watch where you aim, Korihime?”  
  
Korihime rolled her eyes as he had landed near her, retorting knowingly, “don’t be such a cub, you didn't get frostbite. And even then, I doubt that'd make you less of a jerk than ya are. ”  
  
Koga folded his arms and snorted as he looked elsewhere and groused, “maybe if ya learned to be a better crackshot… _ow!_ ” He covered his head with his hands after she conked him with her bow, and he glared at her as he barked, “Kori!”  
  
“Maybe if _you_ learned to not talk outta your ass, ya wouldn’t get clocked so many times.” Korihime retorted with a cheery smile.  
  
“Look who’s talking, _brat!_ ” Koga snapped back as his brow twitched.  
  
“Moron!”  
  
“Priss!”  
  
“ _Mutt-face!_ ”  
  
“ _Ditz!_ ”  
  
Sesshomaru pinched the bridge of his nose this time, lamenting under his breath, “I’m starting to believe your father was on to something with those two.”  
  
“I couldn't agree more… _both of you, shut your asses!_ You’re gonna make more of those pests come sniffin' around if ya wake up the whole forest with your shouting match.” Getsu snapped at the couple, scowling at them when they jumped at the same time and clammed up at her words.  
  
Korihime pouted as she flippantly gestured to Koga, “but _he_ started it!”  
  
“I don’t _give_ a rat’s ass, I’m _finishing_ it! And _you_ , ya arrogant mutt…” Getsu silenced her, earning a pout, before she turned her gaze onto the other clan head and sobering as she added, “thank you for saving Rin.”  
  
Koga huffed and glanced away. “Coulda gone without the _‘arrogant mutt_ ’ part… the kid’s obviously important to you and Korihime, even though she don’t know how to shoot an arrow.” He said the last bit off-handedly, ignoring the irritable glare from said she-wolf.  
  
“You’re still after Naraku, then.” Korihime guessed, sobering for a moment, as she looked at him.  
  
“Yep, sounds like your pack is goin' after him too, though. I'd rather not ask why, only 'cuz I figure the answer would bore the hell outta me, so I think we’re just gonna get a head-start on ya.” Koga replied, smiling cheerily at her returning irritable scowl, before he turned around to gather the brothers. “Oh yeah, try not to freeze me the next time we end up fightin' the same enemy, Princess!” He added over his shoulder.  
  
Ears and cheeks burning, Korihime voiced a slight growl in his wake and gave a _‘humph_ ’. “So don’t get your ass handed to ya before then, mutt-face!” She remarked as the trio left them be, folding her arms and pondering aloud, _“honestly_ , who does he think he’s kidding, actin' so damn _smug…?_ ”  
  
“Wherever they went, I’m sure Papa is laughing right now.” Getsu mused lightly.  
  
“Bite me!” Korihime growled with a short huff.  
  
_This run-in was rather pointless_ , Sesshomaru thought. But, for the fact of an irritable Korihime, he chose to keep that to himself.


	15. Gasoline (pt.I) - Howling

“Please forgive me, milord, Rin ran off…!” Jaken apologized before yelping when he was cut short by her heel that stomped on his head.  
  
Getsu drew her foot back and exhaled as she said, “thankfully you’re not the _only_ pupsitter…” She looked up as her sister came running from having circled the area to look for the girl, frowning and wondering of her, “anything?”  
  
“No, but if Kohaku’s scent stops short of the barrier, then she might’ve followed him into the mountain.” Korihime answered as she came up to them, looking at the nearby imposing landmark that was shrouded in mist.  
  
Both sisters had only heard stories about Mt. Hakurei since they were pups, but being so close to the actual mountain made them realize the rumors held some truth in them after all.  
  
_If the mountain's as pure as it is, why would a creep like Naraku ever find sanctuary behind its barrier?_ Korihime wondered before perking her ears as she was first to spot a familiar girl running to them through the mist. “Rin!” She greeted with a relieved grin.  
  
“You went after Kohaku.” Sesshomaru said when the girl started to speak, earning a somewhat-surprised look from both sisters at his tone that made him sound like a father about to scold his child.  
  
Rin sobered and nodded at that. “Yes. Kohaku protected me from demons that were in a cave, he saved me… Lord Sesshomaru, you’re not gonna kill Kohaku, are you?” She suddenly asked, seeming to surprise him for a moment.  
  
“If he saved you, then he’s no threat.” Getsu cut in gently, earning a look from him, as she knelt infront of the girl with a smile and added, “'sides, you mean a lot to us, so why would we hurt your friend?”  
  
_So he **is** hiding behind the barrier_, Korihime thought grimly, looking at the tall mountain with a slight frown.  
  
How much longer would he hide from them, and just what was he concocting _now?_

_‘Don’t end up dyin' for him._ ’  
  
That was a silly thought, why would she die for that moron anyway? Just because he was the one her father had chosen for her all those years ago?  
  
The stink of the walking dead assailed her nose as she found where the explosions were going off. Pausing in getting closer to the scene, she watched the streak of brown dodge twin explosives that would’ve ended him if he were slower. _That moronic wolf_ … she thought with a shake of her head, racing into the battle just as several flaming steel cables streaked from behind the barrier at the clan head.  
  
Darting around most of the attacks, Koga narrowly avoided the sixth cable before a streak of blue punted him out of the way of getting hit with the seventh cable.  
  
Both wolf demons rolled when they hit the ground, and he was first to draw away, starting to berate the reckless fool who had saved his neck before he recognized her cobalt hair. “You shouldn’t _be_ here, Kori!” He snapped, shaking out of the shock, as she had also drawn away to keep behind the rock that covered them.  
  
“And _you_ shouldn’t be playing with fire, even less with explosives!” Korihime returned sharply, looking past their jutted stump of rock at the barrier-encased mountainside as she wondered to change subject, “these mercenaries are the Band of Seven, right? I thought they’d been dead for years.”  
  
Koga followed her hardened gaze with a scoff as he remarked, “well guess who resurrected 'em… look, I have a reason to be here fighting these freaks, but you don’t. Ya should go back to your sister…” he started to point out as he looked at her with all seriousness.  
  
“I told her I'd be fine; she and Sesshomaru can take care of things, in any sense. I came because _one of us_ has to uphold the treaty, right?” She interrupted calmly, ignoring the spike in his _yoki_ at her reminder.  
  
Bristling slightly, he looked at the mist covering the barrier beyond them and mused aloud, “tch, I thought ya _weren’t_ jealous of Kagome. I mean, she can do a helluva lot better than that mutt, InuYasha, and _she's_ a lot easier to talk to in comparison to you, to boot.”  
  
“I didn’t ask to be stuck with you _either_ , mutt-face, but I… look, these creeps are tryin' to take your shards, and I came to make it so you can avenge your clan! I didn’t come expectin' ya to thank me in any way for trying to protect your pride.” Korihime snapped bitingly, also bristling, as she glared at him when their eyes locked.  
  
Koga started to snap back when seeing the hurt in her eyes, namely at his insulting her, and recalled that night she had healed him out of sympathy.  
  
He didn’t need sympathy from _anyone_ , frankly, and she wasn’t the gentlest soul he knew of. But even so and, despite her standing, she was a wolf demon to the core…  
  
“These pigs don’t know who they’re screwin' with…” Korihime’s voice yanked him back to the skirmish, and he regarded that she had an arrow nocked and ready as she peered above the stump.  
  
Koga surprised her when he lowered her arm she started to lift, speaking when she opened her mouth to question him, “your arrows won’t work on them, princess… the one firin' the explosives is a metal monster named Ginkotsu, and the one pullin' the strings is Renkotsu. They’re nearly invincible with those damn cannons.”  
  
Korihime exhaled shortly, shaking off his grip, before she gave a nod and scowled at the barrier. “Then we need to lure them outta hiding, only 'cuz this game of cat-and-mouse is beyond annoying. If we get the weaker one, then we can get the stronger one, too…” she reasoned, extending her free hand to him and ignoring the surprised cock of his brow as she asked, “together?”  
  
_That northern air must make these girls pretty damn cocky,_ Koga thought, smirking wryly and taking her hand in his as he shook. “Together… h-hey, where’re you goin'?” He hissed when she drew away again to shoulder her bow before she started to leave their hiding place, adding, "Kori!"  
  
“If I distract 'em enough to come outta the barrier's safety, you’re up.” She explained as she looked back at him, giving a wink, before she darted out into the open.  
  
Having formed two pieces of pink ice in her palm that resembled Shikon Jewel shards, she strode into the middle of the ruined flat. “Hey lame-asses, why don'tcha forget that scrawny wolf for a sec and play with me instead? I’ve got shards that I'm sure you lot would _just kill for!_ ” She called jovially, hoping beyond hope that they would take the bait.  
  
Silence met her challenge before two volleys of twin explosives streaked at her from behind the barrier, forcing her to dance around the attacks.  
  
“Your powers have _really_ gone downhill if ya can’t hit a simple wolf demon!” Korihime taunted in the same tone, her ears giving a twitch at distinctly hearing a mechanical whirring and the grinding of gears approaching the very edge of the barrier, her lithe frame tensing for the next volley as she added scathingly, “ _you mercenaries weren't worth anythin' in life and are worth less than horseshit now that you’re just **moving corpses**!”_  
  
_Come on, just a little more_ …  
  
Three volleys of explosives went off, sailing high overhead before they steeply dropped down around the she-wolf, surprising the trio of wolves nearby as it felt like the whole mountain quivered, with dark smoke rising in plumes around the flat.  
  
“ _Kori!_ ” Koga called, starting to leave the sanctity of the stump before he froze at seeing the mercenary duo slip out from behind the barrier, recognizing the bald one as Renkotsu and the machine as Ginkotsu. “She did it…” he breathed before looking around at the smoke as he wondered grimly, _now where the hell is she?_  
  
“She didn’t last long for all that talk… stupid wolf wench…” Renkotsu huffed as the smoke cleared and he regarded that the she-wolf was nowhere to be seen.  
  
“ _No one’s ever called me stupid!_ ” Korihime drawled, emerging from the mist to swing her claws out at the bald mercenary, narrowly missing the shard in his jugular before she dropped back yards away and called, “Koga!”  
  
Relieved that she had survived even though he had a good mind to yell at her for scaring the hell out of him, Koga sprang into the air to land behind their enemies on two feet, smirking widely in victory as he stated, “you two jackasses aren’t going behind the barrier again!”  
  
“I wouldn’t start celebrating just yet.” Renkotsu said coolly, continuing as he looked between the two wolves, “rather than us, you mutts are the ones who can’t afford to leave here unless ya wanna be purified. 'Sides, what harm could a wounded wolf do?” He caught the stony glare from the clan head, adding to his mechanical friend, “finish him off, Ginkotsu… I can take the she-wolf.”  
  
Flexing her claws as he turned on her, Korihime pointed out in a tone that complimented her name, “how quick ya forget that an injured wolf can still bite…!” She hopped back when he unleashed a flamethrower from his mouth using _sake_ , landing expertly.  
  
“You’re pretty cocky for a barking lapdog!” Renkotsu snapped, firing off another flamethrower at the she-wolf who dodged again, perking up when she flew down at him from having sprang into the air.  
  
Slashing at his upper chest mere inches from his throat, Korihime dropped back with a dangerous look in her eye as he hit the ground with blood spurting from the attack.  
  
“Why'd Naraku summon your clan from the dead? Ya could at least answer that before I send you back to hell.” She demanded, eyes squinting at his hand that grappled for his throat as he wheezed, recognizing her hunch had been correct regarding the Jewel shard was in his jugular.  
  
“Y-you damn wolf, ya don’t give up…” Renkotsu growled out before giving a slight growl when her slender hand clamped around his neck, glowering up at her icy gaze before answering when she eased her vice-grip even if for a moment, “said you and your big sister hurt him good in his castle a few months ago, and he’s been here gatherin' his full strength since… I gotta tell ya that I’m not really the one y'should be asking this of, you should talk to my big brother, Bankotsu… **if** you survive, that is.”  
  
Korihime released his neck even though she had half a right mind to slay him before he could get away. “ _’Bankotsu_ ’… isn't he the head of your clan?” She wondered quietly.  
  
‘ **Renkotsu** …’  
  
“ _That thing can talk?_ ” Both wolves asked in chorus as they sharply looked at the machine.  
  
‘ **Renkotsu… damn you, you wolves** …’ Ginkotsu managed in his mechanical voice before firing off a pair of blasts at the clan head from the cannons he wielded.  
  
_“ **Koga**!_” She shrieked.

Gold eyes sharpening at catching the stink of wolf blood, Sesshomaru looked over at her as she jumped to her feet from having been sitting with the girl.  
  
“Kori…” Getsu breathed, looking in the direction the named wolf went, before she bristled and grumbled, “I told her to not be reckless.” _Did those corpses get to her and Koga…?_ She thought before shaking her head a bit, _no, I won’t think that way! Papa made me promise to protect her, and I can’t start thinking that about her, now!_  
  
He started to assure her of her sister's safety when they both caught the stink of death and looked to the nearby brush, bristling as he pointed out, “they’re coming.” He dashed at the brush and swung out with Tokijin.  
  
“Stay close to Jaken,” she urged the girl, regarding his sword being blocked and punted away by a string of blade-resembling lights that receded to a broadsword being wielded by an effeminate man in a lavender yukata.  
  
“You’re one of Naraku’s followers.” He didn’t ask.  
  
The effeminate man smirked as he returned in a drawl, “how perceptive of you!”


	16. Gasoline (pt. II) - Fire On the Mountainside

A simultaneous yelp came from both girl and imp when the curved blades created a large crack in the rock where they had stood moments ago.  
  
“Ya got anything else to say, imp? _Well!?_ ” Snapped the effeminate corpse in an annoyed tone before a sharp arc of teal energy missed his head by a hair's breadth as he dropped back with a slight yelp of his own.  
  
Resting Mangetsuga on the back of her shoulders, the she-wolf drawled in their defense, “I’d appreciate it if ya didn’t try to kill the girl… though that depends on you corpses still knowin' what decency is.”  
  
“Lemme take a wild guess, _you’re_ the older wench of those two sisters, Getsu… Naraku warned us about you. Though I don’t see why!” He sneered before lashing out and sending the blade string sailing at her before the clashing screech of their blades meeting derailed him for a moment as she punted him off with a sharp slap from her katana. He twisted around to combat the would-be slash for his then open back from the dog demon.  
  
“ _Jaken!_ ” Sesshomaru snapped at the imp who quickly obeyed and raced across the bridge with Rin in tow.  
  
The corpse regarded the defensive canines and mused dryly, “the both of ya really wanted to protect the little girl… aren’t you doting parents. Two against one is hardly fair, but considering ya can focus better on our battle, so be it!”  
  
Getsu smirked ruefully as she retorted, “he’s got one thing right, though… ya sure talk big for a walking corpse.”  
  
“I’m gettin' sick of you two stressing that I’m dead!” He snapped annoyedly before swinging the blades in her direction.  
  
A fearful scream came from the bridge, then, making the couple look at the fog-covered bridge at their backs.  
  
_Neither Sesshomaru or I can get to her… damn it!_ Getsu thought, driving their foe back with an arc of green before she rushed him as he had dropped back, the sharp clashing of blades hurting her ears. “We heard on the wind that you lot are the Band of Seven, but seein' as it’s just _you_ , tell me your name before ya get sent back to your grave.” She requested coldly.  
  
The mercenary smirked at the bristling wolf and and replied calmly, “the name’s Jakotsu, but I wouldn’t get too cocky if I were you.” He shoved her back and sent the blades screaming at her as he added, “try dodgin' _that_ , wolf!”  
  
_Yoki_ spiking sharply before she rammed Mangetsuga's blade into the ground, she watched teal sparks ripple along the blade before the attack erupted from beneath the christened Jakotsu's footing and sent him flying back with a cry.  
  
The sound of the bridge breaking alerted the both of them as a scream came from Rin.  
  
“ **No**!” Getsu exclaimed as Sesshomaru raced towards the bridge and she dashed after him before a string of curved blades lashed out at them from where Jakotsu had dropped back. Twisting as she deflected them from striking his opened back, she gave a snarl as she sent a vicious blast of blue fire from her right foot to divert the mercenary.  
  
Sesshomaru looked back at hearing her snarl before watching her spirit past him down into the ravine where the girl and imp had fallen. He deadpanned when she seemed to remember she couldn't fly, and he snatched her by the fabric of her obi, holding her to his chest as he mused, “you are, in fact, _no_ exception to what my father said of your kind.”  
  
Feeling the sense of déjà vu, Getsu sheathed her sword and made a face as she retorted, “as much as _you're_ not as worried as ya put on if you’re poking fun at your lover…” She trailed off on the last word and pretended her ears didn’t burn at openly realizing that she was his lover before his bride.  
  
“I **am** concerned, but I know that between us, we'll find her… and it's about time you said it.” He remarked with a defensive puff, and there was a rather proud smirk that weighed on his lips when she glanced his way at the last bit.  
  
Relieved when they touched ground on the rocky riverbank, she gave a _‘humph_ ’ and shrugged away to sniff the air. “Her scent disappears here, but I don’t think she went with the current,” she observed.  
  
“She can’t have gone far,” he mused, starting to lead the way away from the falls when hearing pained grumbling behind one rock, and he stopped to scowl slightly as he added to the found toad, “just how long are you going to hide there, _Jaken?_ ”  
  
Scrambling up and out from his hiding place, said imp squeaked a rather long-winded apology that she deadpanned at. “…I will find Rin if it’s the last thing I do, Milord!” He vowed.  
  
“I wonder how cooked toad tastes…” Getsu mused lightly as she followed the mentioned dog demon.

An annoyed look crossed his face as he scoffed. “ _’Go easy on him’?_ I should take the shards from his scrawny legs instead…! I should’ve abandoned him,” he declared indignantly.  
  
Giving a short exhale as she straightened and shrugged her bow from her shoulder, she thrust it into his hands. “But ya didn’t because you've got a big heart underneath that bristling fur of yours. Hold this and do us all a favor by not complainin', please,” she ordered with what patience lingered.  
  
“H-hey, I ain’t your servant…!” The _hanyou_ started to protest at her forcefulness before stiffening at the sharp look she sent him over her shoulder, quieting and looking away with a sniff. “Keh, whatever, just don’t overdo it, Kor. I know Koga wasn’t the _only one_ who fought those freaks,” he complied with a pointed tone as he held onto her long bow.  
  
Eyes softening a bit at his reminder, the she-wolf nodded back before letting her hands become covered with a lilac light as she began healing the unconscious clan head.  
  
“I didn’t know wolf demons had healing powers.” Kagome mused after a few moments of silence passed, marveling as she had at first seeing the sight, speaking for the boys and her own sake.  
  
Korihime regarded the twitch in Koga's brow before she gave a slight shrug and explained quietly, “not all wolves have it. My mother told me that it came from her family, but it had the habit of skippin' a generation so, when Getsu didn’t get it, I did. Guess it makes sense, anyway, considering I've only been seen as a pretty face for most of my life… but so long as I've got this power, then at least I’m not just a third wheel.”  
  
“But you’re about as strong as Getsu-chan, and doesn’t she need you like you need her?” Shippo asked when she sat back a bit as she had finished tending to the sleeping Koga.  
  
Momentarily envying the kitsune for his innocence, Korihime nodded and smiled wryly as she replied, “we wouldn’t have gotten so far, or be as united as we are, otherwise.” Even as she said so, she hoped her pack was okay.  
  
“Korihime…” Koga spoke then, causing the odd party to perk up in surprise, and the mentioned she-wolf looked down at him as his brow crinkled like if he wanted to open his eyes.  
  
Feeling her eyes sting with exasperated tears, Korihime shushed him even though she had every right to yell at him for scaring the hell out of her, watching his fingers touch hers. She shook her head with a soft smile and muttered when he visibly relaxed at the confirming touch, “idiotic wolf…”

_So she withstood the barrier_ … he thought as he looked her way when she had all-but run after him through the barrier in spite of the sparks of electricity that struck at her as they had him. He smirked slightly at her determination that was the reason for her striding into the purified atmosphere around them that should have otherwise made her ill.  
  
She _did_ , in fact, become stronger in the years he was absent from her life, and he took a measure of pride in that.  
  
It didn’t take long for them to find the mercenaries who had taken Rin, and Sesshomaru was first to be seen as he appeared on a higher ridge of the mountainside.  
  
“He’s cut us off…” groused the second mercenary who was more handsome between the pair.  
  
Jakotsu huffed, “that bastard…” he bristled as he regarded Getsu who stood behind them yards away, adding bitingly, “and his little wolf woman, too. You’re both demons yet the barrier's not affectin' either of ya… maybe _this will!_ ” He swung his broadsword at the dog demon’s footing and retracted the blades only to strike at him again.  
  
“You’re new, I see…” Getsu greeted the second mercenary who turned to her, drawing her heirloom.  
  
“The name’s Suikotsu, and I must apologize for having to kill a wolf demon as beautiful as you.” The christened Suikotsu returned with a smirk as he brandished the clawed glove he wielded.  
  
“Getsu-onee…” Rin said from being in his grip, looked to the wolf demon with some worry.  
  
Getsu spared her a smile as she assured, “it’ll be fine, Rin!” _The purified air almost had me when we entered the mountain, and even now I dunno how my wolf fire will turn out… though it’s not like I could use it right now, given that creep has Rin with him. I've gotta do something in any sense_ , she thought with a slight frown on her brow.  
  
“You act like she’s _your_ child… that’s rather sweet. I didn’t know demons could love!” Suikotsu’s taunt yanked her out of her thoughts, as he charged for her with his claws bared.  
  
A sharp _‘klang_ ’ hummed in the air as her blade caught his claws, and she dug her heels into the uneven ground as he pushed down on the connected blades.  
  
“If ya weren’t holding onto my pup, then I’d graciously burn you where you stand…” she drawled back before sharply headbutting him in the forehead, making him reel away as she shook her somewhat-dizzy head and regripped Mangetsuga's hilt when the thought came to her, adding, “but you lot dunno when to _die!_ ”  
  
She rammed the blade into the ground as violet sparks crackled from the jab, before the ground broke underneath him with a likewise-colored blast of energy.  
  
“Getsu-onee!” Rin barked as she scrambled away when the attack threw her captor back and let her free of his grip, running for the she-wolf's free arm and latching onto her with relief.  
  
Getsu gave a groan of likewise relief as she hoisted her in the crook of her free arm and then set her down a bit of a ways from the fighting. “Stay here and, if I tell you to run, you listen to me. Jaken will find you,” she instructed, regarding the girl's reluctance that brightened her big brown eyes. She ruffled her hair with a gentle hand as she finished in the same tone, “remember to run, Rin.”  
  
She nodded before looking past her when seeing movement and said, “look out!”  
  
Twisting about to sharply punt him away, her _yoki_ flared as she rushed him and lashed out with Mangetsuga that parried and struck when he drew back until she had him on the run. “Ya should know your place, corpse!” She snarled.  
  
“And you’re going to teach it to me, _are you_ , wolf wench?” Suikotsu barked a laugh as she drew away by a bit when he knocked her away, the other seeming distracted for a moment at smelling her companion's blood.  
  
“Getsu, **move**!” Sesshomaru ordered as he tossed Tokijin at Suikotsu while he rammed his clawed hand through Jakotsu’s sternum. He glared slightly at the shocked face of his opponent and asked with a glance back at his counterpart, “are you all right?”  
  
“Yeah, but you’re not. Even with the stink of this mountain, I smelled the blood from your arm.” Getsu huffed as she approached him and added dryly, “you’re lucky I've kept the medicinal kit with me…”  
  
“We’re not finished, _she-wolf_.” Suikotsu’s voice made her freeze as he slashed at her open back.  
  
Sesshomaru sharply looked her way when an annoyed growl escaped his companion as pieces of her blue yukata fell to the ground from the fresh wound on her back, turning his attention back to his skewered opponent at hearing the other chuckle.  
  
Jakotsu sneered at the angered glint in his foe’s gold eyes as he mused, “y’know, being so close makes me see ya really _are_ attractive. You stupid mongrels outta know that we can’t be slain like mortals.”  
  
Getsu bared Mangetsuga out of defense, ignoring the feeling of warm blood leaking from her injury as she flashed her fangs at Suikotsu. "You sunnuva...!" She began to curse him before trailing off as both she and and Sesshomaru sensed a familiar _yoki_ spike before an arrow whizzed past her to strike at her foe’s chest.  
  
“You lot and Naraku are one in the same in terms of bein' a pain in the ass.” Korihime scoffed in disgust as she dropped from the high incline she’d occupied, glaring at her sister's offender.  
  
She looked to the lower incline when a sacred arrow flew at the same man and struck the shard in his jugular, causing him to fall back, only to gape slightly at seeing the priestess wasn't Kagome but rather the very same woman who had sealed InuYasha away.  
  
Getsu rubbed her shoulder, watching Jakotsu slink off into hiding with a soft huff, finding that she was fed up with these damned corpses and just wanted to put Mt. Hakurei behind her.  
  
“Kori-onee, you’re here!” Rin exclaimed as she ran to hug her babysitter, being accepted happily by the she-wolf who held her tight.  
  
Feeling a measure of pity for Suikotsu as he pleaded with the priestess to end his torment by removing the shard from his neck, Getsu glanced at Sesshomaru who came to her side. She bristled when Jakotsu snatched the shard from the christened Kikyo who made to remove the now-purified shard via his string of blades before he fled into the dark.  
  
“Bastard…!” She growled annoyedly, starting to leave her pack in favor of chasing the coward when Sesshomaru grabbed her hand in his.  
  
“Let him go,” Sesshomaru advised patiently despite the surprised glance from her, regarding the trio of claw-marks in her back and the disgruntled spark in her eye as he added in the same tone, “your wound will get worse if it's not treated.”  
  
Never mind that it would take weeks before she would fully recover if they stuck around this mountain any longer. He earned a reluctant nod from her, and he released her hand in favor of touching her cheek to have her hold his hand with hers.  
  
“Getsu-onee, are you gonna be okay?” Rin asked at also regarding the she-wolf’s injury with a frown.  
  
Korihime smiled at the girl and squeezed her back as she assured gently, “don’t worry, Rin, she’s gonna be just fine.”

“No.”  
  
“I’m coming.”  
  
“You’re still recovering.”  
  
“Sesshomaru…”  
  
He exhaled in a vain attempt to retain his patience, turning slightly to look on her as she straightened a bit from resting against the tree, regarding the determined furrow of her brow before he gave a slight exhale and repeated with finality, “ **no**.”  
  
They had only been away from Mt. Hakurei for about a week and, when he mentioned that Naraku was still inside the mountain, she wanted to go with him to confirm it.  
  
Straightening to her feet, she put a hand on her hip with her scowl lingering and protested knowingly, “I'm still standin', so I can handle whatever Naraku throws at me.”  
  
“I won't let you die by that half-breed’s hand just because you’re trying to prove a point.” He argued flatly, stepping in to block her when she attempted leave his sight.  
  
The thought of her death never sat well with him, namely because it would be his fault for not stopping her, but now after they had gotten along and mated… _he didn’t want to see her die_.  
  
With some surprise she looked up at him as she regarded the worry for her that he normally hid behind his aloof face speaking for him. “You worry too much over me, y’know that?” She mused quietly, looking at the sunlight that winked off his armor.  
  
“Only because I love you.” Sesshomaru stated, pretending the initial burning in his cheeks and ears didn't cause her eyes to widen a bit, adding if only to return to his point, “you're not _going_ , Getsuei, only because you're being impulsive…”  
  
“I'm _still going_ , Sesshomaru! He almost got you, and… and it would've been my fault if he succeeded. I love you, too, but I'm comin' along because I don’t trust that snake.” Getsu stated firmly, having looked elsewhere at the memory for a moment, before folding her arms at her chest as their stares locked again.  
  
Gold and silver held to each other for a moment that felt like hours before he broke stares to close his eyes and sigh slightly. “Then stay by my side, and don’t do anything reckless… **try** not to,” he ordered, looking at her with an imploring arch of his brow.  
  
“So take your own advice, for once?” She returned, voice softened, as she stroked his cheek with a wry smile on her lips.  
  
After telling Korihime that they were going back, both dog and wolf demon plus imp set out from their little camp for the mountain.  
  
He cocked a brow when she looked back at the imp as they were halfway to the peak of the mountain, causing him to see Jaken had stopped following them.  
  
“Lord Sesshomaru… best of luck!” Jaken sniffled as he looked torn between high-tailing it back to the girls or staying with the couple.  
  
Getsu deadpanned when he turned to sharply clock the imp, looking away and sniffing the air before musing aloud, “his _yoki_ has strengthened since the last time… seems like he’s already regained his full strength, and then some.” She had also caught onto the familiar _yoki_ of a certain wolf demon and younger dog demon. They were no doubt stuck inside the mountain with Naraku… “he’s a real pain in the ass,” she added.  
  
“It almost sounds like you're impressed,” Sesshomaru said as he returned to her after ordering the imp to keep up.  
  
Bristling a bit at that, she scoffed and remarked, “just at how much of an irritant he is to anyone who comes his way. Koga and InuYasha are still here… they'll be fine, I think, otherwise your brother will hafta answer to Kori.” Much like her, Korihime had inherited their father's temper… **that** was grounds enough to not cross her.  
  
“Interesting as that would be, if _anyone_ has grounds to beat the hell out of him, it's me… if what we've sensed of his heightened state thus far, it's wise to keep together.” He returned the scoff albeit with some amusement before meeting her gaze when she glanced at the highest point of the once-sacred mountain.  
  
She looked elsewhere with a sniff as a pout crossed her lips, remarking sorely, “you're takin' the fun out of things, _again_ , you prat.” She regarded the indiscernible look that crossed his face as he looked to the top.  
  
Recalling the night she had been injured, he bristled a bit and started off. “Know that I’ll crush him before he hurts you again,” he said over his shoulder with a pensive tone in his voice that sounded more like a growl.  
  
Looking at his back as she paused in following him, she smiled softly at the promise he would undoubtedly make due on before she trotted to sidle to his left side out of instinct. 

“You certainly took extraordinary measures to rid yourself of a mortal woman, Naraku,” he observed, watching the reformed half-breed look over his shoulder to see the odd trio had found him.  
  
The named _hanyou_ returned with a scoff, “Sesshomaru, and Getsu, as well. I’m truly honored that you entitled mongrels have deigned to grace me with your presence.”  
  
“We came all this way into the land that my clan once ruled long ago, and only now did I realize ya must love being an irritating piece of shit.” She declared coldly, earning a somewhat-surprised glance from her counterpart when she took a step closer to the half-breed to spit at the ground between them.  
  
He cracked a bemused smirk and chortled slightly at her revilement for him. “You regard me with such defiance, my dear Lady, but it's no mystery that you loathe me for what I’ve done to your wretched mongrel of a lover. Considering you both tracked me down, I’m surprised you took an interest in me despite calling me an irritant,” he drawled.  
  
“Silence, you’re the one who has been meddling in our affairs…!” The imp barked.  
  
“Back away, Jaken.” He silenced the imp, watching him reluctantly scuttle behind him, regarding that she hadn't let their enemy out of her sight as he added, “I assume you’re capable of producing a formidable power if you’re bold enough to leave the safety of your barrier.”  
  
“Care to disprove me, then?” He drawled as his bemused smirk shifted for a daunting one instead.  
  
She took a half-step behind her companion as he then unleashed a vicious blow from Tokijin that ripped up their enemy, bristling somewhat when the remains of Naraku's body were kept within the safety of a violet-hued barrier as she wondered with further disgust, _he preserved his body? What'd he cook up while regaining his strength inside the mountain…?_  
  
“Sesshomaru, why not have a taste of your own medicine!” Naraku declared before his barrier returned the same attack from Tokijin and struck at the trio, cocking a brow when the attack caused a plume of dust to rise into the air before it cleared to show the odd trio who had been shielded in time by a domed barrier of blue fire. He grinned darkly and hummed, “you wolves are nothing if not defiant… you truly **are** the head of your ruined clan.”  
  
_She protected us with this dome of fire without lifting a finger_ … Sesshomaru mused as he looked to his she-wolf with pride even when her shield died to mere embers.  
  
Getsu said nothing in rebuttal only to flick her wrist and send a large flamethrower screaming at the _hanyou_ , bristling angrily when he fled into the sky with a funnel of his miasma. “You're gonna die at my hand no matter what, you damn coward!” She growled out as her eyes bled gold and her _yoki_ spiked.  
  
“I look forward to it, she-wolf!” Naraku chortled again before he then fled into the growing night.  
  
Reining in her lesser side, a soft snarl sat in her throat before she exhaled. “I'm okay, just pissed off,” she assured him, voice akin to a growl, as she closed her eyes while clenching and unclenching her fists.  
  
He allowed a slight smirk at her maturity, even when he half-expected her to attack that pest she had surprised him, looking away as his ears twitched at the sight of his younger brother skid to a halt at coming up to them. “You’re still alive, then, InuYasha?” He greeted with mild curiosity.  
  
“Figured you survived… you’re a tough _hanyou_. But seein' you means that Koga is still alive… thanks for that.” She put in with a slight smile before it faltered at the anxious light in his gold eyes, and she asked with concern, “why'd you come?”  
  
“I was gonna ask you two the same thing.” He replied with a slight huff.  
  
“Ironically, Naraku’s objective _wasn’t_ to get rid of you but rather that priestess who sealed you to the tree, ” Sesshomaru noted as he then regarded the shocked look that overcame his brother’s face.  
  
Looking at the miasma-infused toxins filling the nearby fissure in the ground, Getsu watched the younger dog demon leave them to gather the broken bow that Kikyo had used as a breeze stole past them and played with their hair.  
  
“Naraku must've gotten rid of that thief’s heart, Onigumo, if he slew her… I’m sorry, InuYasha.” She said quietly. Sesshomaru didn't give much of a rat’s ass about his brother's feelings, she knew, but at this point she didn't care if he hated seeing her extend sympathy to his brother.  
  
Sesshomaru surprised her when he placed his hand on her back and ushered her away as he took his leave, catching the sad look in her eyes before she let him lead her back to their companions.  
  
“Hang on, Sesshomaru! Did you… did you just stand by and watch her die?” InuYasha growled out behind them.  
  
Getsu stopped to look back at him when hearing the grief and anger in his voice, starting to answer, “Sesshomaru didn’t kill her…”  
  
“ _Getsuei_.” Sesshomaru silenced her, earning a sore scowl, before he looked to his brother and added, “why ask me when it was Naraku who killed that woman? I don’t care for what your connection was to her, but if you’re going to blame someone for not saving her life, blame yourself.” He let his she-wolf cling to his stole before they rose into the air, leaving InuYasha alone with his grief.


	17. Human

The flames crackled hungrily, spouting fresh embers when he tossed a broken branch into their red maw.  
  
It had only been a week since they had put Mt. Hakurei behind them. Their pack had gotten caught in fresh snow, a sign winter was coming sooner than expected, and left them to cross through a thick forest. As the north had once been their home, the sisters deemed they should pace themselves in the weather's shifting and thus they stopped to camp the last night in the forest’s sanctuary before leaving for the south-western regions come morning.  
  
Rin had been enamored with the snow as she scarcely remembered seeing it before, engaging in snowball fights with the younger wolf and dragging the imp into a few of them until she had gone straight to sleep after the sun set on their relaxing day.  
  
At sensing the flares in her aura that came from a more secluded patch of trees yards away, he exhaled slightly and watched his breath come out in a bubble of soft fog.  
  
She had, ever since they had left his grieving brother on the mountaintop, distanced herself from him… she wasn’t happy with him in any sense and, when he attempted to speak with her, she only shot him a cold look before turning her head away with a _‘humph_ ’.  
  
Ruefully he wondered what would get her killed first, her stubbornness or her compassion… looking to the sleeping members of their ragtag pack, he straightened from sitting on the stump of a log and approached the secluded patch.  
  
His gold eyes found her with ease even though her overall-blue colored garb would've left her difficult to find to the untrained eye, and he stopped to watch her spring into the air only to then swing her right leg down onto the tall stump of a target and make it burst with blue flames that turned it to ash.  
  
_‘You're gonna die by my hand no matter what, you damned coward…!_ ’  
  
He knew she meant that with every fiber of her body, especially as he now noticed that she had carved that pest’s name on the stumps she had made hours ago.  
  
She was fierce for all intents and purposes, a force to be reckoned with, the bravest wolf demon he had ever met… and, even if she was angry with him, he needed her to not just stay sane or keep their pack together, but because the thought of losing her left a bad taste in his mouth.  
  
“Don’t think just 'cuz all is calm that I’m gonna deal with _you_ , now.” Getsu’s voice, normally calm but now catty, drew him back to his observations, and there was a guarded scowl on her brow when he refocused on her.  
  
Sesshomaru considered retorting only to reconsider as he instead stepped forward. “You are… very difficult to deal with.” He admitted, smooth voice quiet, as the reflex to verbally defend himself was stymied by his main plight to speak peaceably with her.  
  
Bristling slightly when he came closer, Getsu huffed softly as she cut her gaze away and remarked, “well that's the bitch of it, ain't it? I told you before that y'get what you see with me. You're outta your mind if you think just because you show your belly that I'm gonna let ya off the hook so willingly…”  
  
“You’re right on that.” He watched her mouth close until her lips pursed as she refused to look his way, and he gave a likewise-soft huff before continuing, “you are a challenge in and of yourself, you’re a complete headache when you recklessly throw yourself in harm’s way, you have a heart for humans that I didn't expect to see after what they did to your clan, and you… you deserve _better_ than all this.”  
  
Touched as she let the scowl on her brow falter the longer she listened, she gave a slight grunt and sent a jet of blue to torch the last dummy to watch it burst. “Then you oughta know that ya still don't make me swoon like you'd expect... overgrown dog,” she sniffed, keeping her eyes averted to the ashes that littered the snowy ground, her ears giving a twitch at his soft scoff in bemusement before he came up to her.  
  
Sesshomaru ran his claws through her ebony hair and didn’t hesitate to pull her to his chest, feeling her own claws dig into his upper shoulders as she buried her face in the fur of his stole, exhaling as he rested his head against hers.  
  
Getsu traced her fingers along the red flowers on his guarded shoulder and smiled ruefully. “I blamed myself for months, after my parents died, loathed myself for bein' a coward and running when I should've stayed to burn those people for their idiocy. Kori tried to soothe me, but I couldn't drag her down when I knew she was grieving much as I was… I won’t apologize for pityin' InuYasha in his grief, because I know how that feels so damn well it hurts.” She confessed, closing her eyes against the dull ache of guilt that made her shiver, her smile lingering when his arm tightened on her back in response.  
  
“I can’t promise that we don’t die eventually, but I **can** promise to you that I'm not going anywhere so long as you're with me… I need you at my side.” Sesshomaru replied in the same pensive tone, feeling her relax in his hold, glancing heavenward when a fresh snowfall began.  
  
Cheeks burning even though she didn’t feel the least bit cold, Getsu's smile shifted to an elated one as she nodded and softly remarked, “I love you too… oversized prat.” She chuckled and heard him chuckle with her.  
  
_I need you at my side, too, Sesshomaru._

“From what he said, the person hunting down the demon heads has to be Hakudoshi.”  
  
“Weird how his father sounds a lot like my own.”  
  
The odd party plus otter pup simultaneously jumped and or yelped in surprise at her sudden appearance.  
  
“You lot really need to mind your surroundings better if I can sneak up on ya so easily…” the she-wolf observed, deadpanning at the reaction to her sudden appearance.  
  
“K-Kori-chan!” The fox kit said first.  
  
The demon slayer looked up at said princess as she wondered, “what brings you here?”  
  
“Getsu told me what you lot did at Mt. Hakurei, and I came to thank ya for saving Koga.” The she-wolf explained as she plonked down on the same log both monk and demon slayer occupied, regarding the otter and wondering at large, “so, this Hakudoshi piece of shit must be a new addition to that pest’s little clan, yeah?”  
  
When the odd party recounted to her all they had been dealing with since the Band of Seven incident, she sat back with a slight sigh before she said blandly, “ _geez_ is he a creep… sounds like that brat of his is gatherin' demon heads for reasons only Naraku knows of.”  
  
“Well excuse us for not soundin' as smart as you, pedigree, considerin' it sounds like ya've already pieced things together,” the half-breed remarked first with a huff.  
  
Brow twitching before she shot him a look, the she-wolf retorted coolly, “ya forget, _baka-inu_ , that my nose catches whiff of things better than _yours_.” She stuck her tongue out at his annoyed growl he voiced as his brow twitched in the same fashion.  
  
“Quit laughing!” The dubbed _hanyou_ barked when he heard a stifled snort from the priestess, his ears flattening as he shot a sore look between she and the smug wolf demon. Giving a _‘humph_ ’ and looking at the otter pup if only to get back to topic, he deduced, “so ya figure that if y'stick the head back onto your father’s body, he’ll be his old self.”  
  
“If I do that, then I can save him, and he’ll come back to life!” The pup named Kanta said.  
  
“Is that possible?” Sango asked incredulously.  
  
Korihime said with a shrug, “I don’t see why not.” Though if _that_ didn't work, then she knew of one _other_ way to revive the pup’s father… but, realistically, she didn’t put much stock in it.  
  
Miroku raised a brow as he said for the pup's sake, “your father must be one tough demon, then…” he deadpanned when the pup burst into tears again at mention of the deceased otter.  
  
“Good going,” Korihime muttered, also deadpanning, as Sango whacked the back of his head with a reflexive hand.  
  
Kanta exclaimed, “but it’s already _been_ three days, and if his body is slain then I don’t know what I’m gonna do!” He slightly stopped sniffling when Shippo patted his back.  
  
Shippo offered lightly, “don’t worry, Kanta, InuYasha will help you! He’s the one who helped me avenge my Pa too, so I’m sure he can help your Pa! His strength makes up for the fact that he’s stupid, childish and just plain weird!” He yelped when said _hanyou_ conked him for his comment.  
  
“You lost your Pa too? Then let’s be friends, _tanuki-san!_ ” Kanta said lightly, shaking hands with the kit who deadpanned and corrected him in a patient tone.  
  
Korihime surprised the pup and kit when she straightened to pat the former on the head and smile kindly as she offered, “I’ll help, too.” She was more than happy to lend a hand as she had plenty experience with loss.  
  
“Shouldn’t ya go back to your sister, Kori?” InuYasha wondered when the pup thanked the she-wolf who smiled brightly in turn.  
  
“Eh, she can handle me not bein' around for a day, and it looks like you’re gonna need _two_ sharp noses on this.” Korihime waved it off and raised a brow at him as she then teased, “why'd ya ask, afraid I'm too **adept** for you, InuYasha?”  
  
“Keh, **no** , just keep up, pedigree!” InuYasha snapped annoyedly, looking away with another _'humph'_.

He should've made her stay with Rin if she was going to react like that.  
  
Sesshomaru deadpanned when his companion gave a yelp and ducked behind him at seeing the headless otter demon crawl up the grassy knoll towards him. _Is this what Tensaiga has been disturbed by…?_ He couldn’t help but wonder.  
  
Getsu regarded the slain otter from around his stole, wondering aloud as she also thought of the heirloom, “does he want to be saved by Tensaiga?” Her ears twitched as they both caught wind of her sister approaching and, much to his chagrin, she wasn’t alone. “Hopefully Kori can explain things…” she mused.  
  
Korihime skidded to a halt at seeing the various spears and arrow stuck in the older otter demon's back, slightly wrinkling her nose before wincing when Kanta gave a despairing howl at failing to connect head and body.  
  
“Sesshomaru, wait a second!” She declared when the other dog demon started to leave, watching him pause, looking at the otter pup again as she added, “we both know that Tensaiga can save a hundred souls in one swing, and this pup’s father was beheaded by one of Naraku’s incarnations…”  
  
“Yet this is no concern of _ours_ , Korihime; we’re going.” Sesshomaru interrupted blandly, regarding the surprised look on her pretty face, before he turned to leave.  
  
Getsu regarded the grieving pup with a frown, recalling her own mourning period, and giving a slight huff as she stopped following him. “Ya know damn well that Naraku is _our_ concern, the same as your brother's,” she reminded pointedly, seeing him stiffen for a moment, agreeing with the majority.  
  
Ruefully, Sesshomaru didn’t know which facet of hers was more irritating, stubbornness or compassion…  
  
“Sesshomaru, please help Kanta’s father.” Kagome requested in a gentler tone, if only to back up the wolves.  
  
“Why should I when this doesn’t concern me _or_ my pack?” Sesshomaru scoffed in return.  
  
Ears aching at the pup's continued wailing for his father, Getsu bristled at his asshat stance and snapped his name, “Sesshomaru…” both she and Korihime perked up when Shippo suddenly darted in the way of the named dog demon and rooted himself there.  
  
“Sesshomaru, please help my friend!” Shippo pleaded.  
  
Korihime regarded his trembling in the face of the stronger canine and knew that Sesshomaru wouldn’t strike him down, at least if she or Getsu had anything to say about it. She stepped forward when the kitsune began begging for the other's help, crouching to place a hand on his back and begin gently, “Shippo…”  
  
“You’re asking the wrong person, Shippo. Sesshomaru isn’t the type to help others.” InuYasha commented pointedly as he scowled at his brother.  
  
Miroku agreed in the same tone, “never mind that only someone with a caring heart can wield the Tensaiga.”  
  
“Precisely…” Sesshomaru started again before pausing when said fang clacked in its scabbard, causing he and the she-wolves to look at it.  
  
Getsu smiled wryly. “I knew there was a reason our paths crossed,” at the sword's master giving her a cocked brow, she added, “Tensaiga wants you to help the otter demon.”  
  
Sesshomaru huffed quietly and drew the heirloom as Korihime scooped up the pup from being near the dead otter, swinging the blade at the minions from the underworld that appeared, and returning the sword to its scabbard as a breeze blew through the fields.  
  
Korihime watched in awe when the older otter’s eyes opened, smiling elatedly as she set Kanta down so he could embrace his father, before her vision started to blur. She hurriedly wiped her eyes and looked at her sister who folded an arm around her shoulders, her own eyes looking misty, before returning the gesture at seeing they were on the same thought train.  
  
“I didn’t expect for one second to come back from the dead.” The otter demon admitted as he was busy pulling the spears and arrows out of his back minutes later.  
  
Miroku politely asked, “could you describe where you went, exactly?”  
  
The otter replied thoughtfully, “it was a very strange place, I will admit. A world shrouded in white mist… I was floating through there, and I noticed there were other demons’ heads with terrible expressions on their faces to boot. When I went below the mist, I saw something extraordinary! Bones, massive bones encased in equally-huge armor… there were other skeletons there too, so I must've been in the afterlife.” At the tugging on his pelt from the pup, he added, “oh right! Thank you for saving me.”  
  
Both older canines as well as the _hanyou_ and priestess perked up at the mention of an armor-encased skeleton.  
  
Kagome smiled at the otter demon. “Oh, Sesshomaru, thank you for…” she trailed off and perked up a bit at seeing the dog demon already walking away, frowning before calling to the named party's other half, “Getsu!”  
  
Getsu looked back at her and waved as Korihime followed them before coming to her left, looking at the pensive furrow on her counterpart's face. “I've got a bad feeling about this,” she confessed.  
  
“Makes three of us, then! _Onee-chan_ , the grave of the great general, you don’t think that Naraku…?” Korihime agreed, a concerned look crossing her face, as she looked to their quieted alpha.  
  
Sesshomaru growled slightly as he promised, “if he did, then Getsu won’t be the _only_ one to crush his skull.”


	18. prologue II

Bare feet skidding to a halt as she was in the lead, she looked back at her companions and declared with some impatience, “ya can't expect just _me_ to be anxious about this, y'know!”  
  
“It’s not a sprint, _Onee-chan_ , 'sides, you're more impatient than anxious,” her sister retorted patiently, having rolled her eyes, from leading the dragon steed by the reins.  
  
Their alpha smirked at the sore look extended to the younger wolf, admitting as he caught up to his other half, “Getsu has a point, though…” he earned a sweet smile from her.  
  
“Milord, where are we going again…?” The toad imp panted as he had been walking –rather, running— by the dragon.  
  
Feeling his brow twitch, the mentioned dog demon blandly advised, “it’d be wise if you stopped asking questions.” Especially since he had been asking for the last few hours _on_ the hour.  
  
The younger wolf demon sniffed the air and huffed as she shouldered her quiver and thought, _this scent belongs to that boy, Kohaku, but the stink that’s mingled with his_ …  
  
“We’re on the right path, then, if his stench is in the air,” the older wolf demon wrinkled her nose as she had also caught wind of it. Looking to their alpha, she stated stubbornly, “no matter what, we do this together.”  
  
Smiling at her tenacity, he gave a wry huff and agreed quietly, “ _’no matter what_ ’.” 

“How long must this journey last…?” Jaken sighed loudly, and both sisters shared a look at his griping that was, unfortunately, beyond the point of getting on their nerves.  
  
Stopping for a moment with a short exhale, Getsu stooped to lift him up by the scruff and ignored his sqawked protests as she planted him on the dragon's saddle with Rin, saying patiently, “y'might whine _less_ if ya got off your feet, toad.”  
  
Korihime giggled when the imp started to snap back, only to then clam up when her sister shot him a cold look that she had adopted from a certain dog demon, folding her arms behind her head. “I think it worked…” she mused before looking at the nearby mountain's flat top and cocking a brow as she observed before the girl did to the imp, “a slain bird demon… how about that.”  
  
“Seems you’re late in getting here, Sesshomaru; this entryway has opened and closed again.” A voice came from the nearby ridge, causing the odd pack to turn and see the wind sorceress standing there with her eyes on the named dog demon.  
  
“Kagura!” The imp exclaimed as he shielded the girl while the younger wolf reached for her bow, stalling when the older wolf hopped onto the ridge to better greet the incarnation.  
  
Silver locking on red, Getsu cocked a brow and advised blandly, “Ya'd better explain what you mean if ya don’t wanna burn where you stand.”  
  
Sesshomaru asked with curiosity, “the entryway to _where?_ ”  
  
“The Borderland, of course, the world between this and the next. Naraku and InuYasha have already gone through.” Kagura explained calmly.  
  
“Ya sound like you know more than ya let on regarding this path, from that tone of yours,” Korihime said with a guarded frown.  
  
Kagura huffed. “Even if I _do_ know something, it’s complicated. It might be too dangerous for your pack to go through it…” she trailed off at regarding the dog demon’s narrowed gold eyes.  
  
“Start talking.” Sesshomaru ordered.


	19. Skulls

The younger wolf winced when she stepped on a something solid that crunched beneath her boot.  
  
As much as she hoped what she had just crushed was some kind of shell, she knew it was more a bone than a shell. Looking at her sister at the head of their odd party who seemed unfazed at walking on bones, she slightly exhaled and wondered, _it’s not because I’m weak or nothin', but howcome she’s not as on edge about trekkin' into this questionable place…?_  
  
“This is as far as I’m gonna take you.” The incarnation stated as the dog demon walked past her, adding more to herself, “I’m not getting involved in this.”  
  
The older wolf demon paused slightly and raised a brow when the sorceress stopped to let them pass by. “Not scared, are you, Kagura?” She asked, ignoring the imp's squawked accusation against the other woman.  
  
Rolling her eyes at her question, she huffed as she remarked, “I’m not answering _that_ , pedigree.”  
  
“In any sense, ya got us this far _without_ stickin' a knife in our backs.” The younger wolf demon scoffed back and shrugged past her, adding lightly over her shoulder, “later, wind witch.”  
  
Sesshomaru looked up at the two stone sentinels that stood watch over the gateway and observed, “this must be the gateway that connects this world to the afterlife…”  
  
‘ **Do you wish to pass**?’ A voice suddenly asked, making the imp jump as it coincidentally surprised the younger she-wolf to then repeat the question.  
  
_I didn’t know they could talk… though at least they’re polite to us, considerin' we didn’t storm the place like that pest_ , the older she-wolf thought, lightening her grip on her heirloom's hilt, before sparing a look at the imp who exclaimed that they wished to pass.  
  
“I don’t think they understand your meaning…” her sister declared before giving a slight yelp when the once-immobile statues came to life before their eyes and brandished their respective weapons as they stepped forward.  
  
“We can’t force our way in, otherwise we’re no better than that half-breed…” Getsu pointed out even as she drew her sword, glancing back at her sister and adding, “Kori, stay back.”  
  
One guard said, ‘ **only the dead can pass through this gate** …’  
  
‘ **Those who wish to pass must die by our hands** ,’ the other finished.  
  
“Cute that y'think _that_ ’s gonna happen…” Getsu scoffed as Sesshomaru sliced at the guards with Tokijin, shortly following suit with a wide arc of teal from Mangetsuga as she added, “we’ve got places to go and a half-breed to destroy, you oversized pieces of clay!”  
  
Both attacks knocked the guards down with a resounding rumble like thunder, before one got to its feet behind the two.  
  
‘ **It is useless, for we cannot be slain by a sword from this world**.’ The first one declared as they both brandished their weapons.  
  
_A sword of this world…?_ “Tensaiga!” Korihime exclaimed in realization as she looked at her packmates.  
  
Getsu glanced over at the named heirloom and nodded as she looked to its wielder, “Kori’s right, Tensaiga is the sword of heaven…”  
  
Sesshomaru glanced down at his sword as it began clacking in its scabbard, a wry smirk crossing his lips as he moreso wondered of the same weapon, “that’s how it is, then, is it?” 

As the dust cleared from his attack, an ice-encased arrow streaked to connect with the barrier only to pass right through to the other side, surprising the pack of humans.  
  
“Kori-chan!” The priestess said in surprise as she and her companions watched the two she-wolves come into view moments later as they tailed the dog demon astride one of the skeletal vultures. “You guys managed to pass through! How?” She asked.  
  
Having nocked another arrow, the named princess replied calmly, “thank the Tensaiga. Those clay guardians would’ve slain us if Sesshomaru didn’t draw it.” She looked elsewhere at the spike in her sister's _yoki_ , frowning as she mused, _she really **does** loathe Naraku for what he did_…  
  
The vile half-breed regarded the canine trio's arrival with a cold smirk as he greeted their alpha, “Sesshomaru, come to rescue your baby brother? I didn’t think you felt so strongly about him…” he trailed off and cocked a brow when the named dog demon moved past him to see to the other's sibling that had landed in the skeletal maw of their father.  
  
The older wolf deadpanned when her counterpart knocked his brother back with a solid punch and caused the human party to rush to their companion, urging the vulture steed towards the skeleton and muttering more to herself, “not sure if that was necessary…” She perked up a bit when her sister hopped off their steed to land in the maw and check on her friend, shaking her head.  
  
“How dare you, an ignorant _hanyou_ , disturb our father’s resting place?” The older dog demon demanded annoyedly of his sibling who was picking himself up from the blow, looking to the younger wolf and adding when she started to say something, “stay here.” If she sought to scold him for being so brash, he didn't hear it as he exited only to land on a high peak to better face their foe.  
  
All-but baring his teeth in disgust, he regarded the other _hanyou_ 's smug face and bit out, “ **vermin**.”  
  
“ _Now_ he's pissed… I think Naraku bit off more than he could chew by comin' here.” Korihime mused grimly before stiffening when sensing another presence with them, looking back at a large demon’s head encased with darkened shards of adamant around its skull and bristling a bit when its hollowed eyes glowed red.  
  
‘ _Young one, do you still wish to fight?_ ’ The skull asked of the better _hanyou_.  
  
“You know that guy, InuYasha?” Korihime asked with confusion, shooting a look at her friend.  
  
His flea vassal Myoga hopped onto her shoulder and answered for him, “Lady Korihime, that’s Hosenki, the demon who was a jewel collector! He is old friends with Master InuYasha’s father!”  
  
_I thought he'd been dead for years, considerin' Father rarely spoke about him_ , Korihime thought before the bristle returned as she caught the flaring of both dog and wolf demon's _yoki_ , looking out at the impending battle and grumbling, “Getsu…”

Naraku scoffed bemusedly and smirked as he regarded the stony look on the dog demon’s face, musing, “you’re stronger than InuYasha, I’ll admit that.”  
  
“ _Forgetting about me, are you?!_ ” A vicious burst of blue flames barreled for him only to crash with his barrier before the flames faded from sight, causing him to look at the wolf demon who had snarled at him.  
  
“Sesshomaru, you should know better than to bring your wench with you to the Borderland!” Naraku chided with a chortle as he looked between the angered couple.  
  
Getsu flashed her fangs after hopping off her vulture to land atop a nearby peak’s flat surface. _We can’t get through his damned barrier, no matter how many blows we throw at him!_ She watched Sesshomaru send blow after blow at the _hanyou_ only for his attacks to barely break into the barrier, huffing under her breath as she flexed her claws and mused, _well regardless, we've still gotta try, right?_  
  
“You really want to kill me, don’t you, Sesshomaru? Then wish _granted!_ ” Naraku declared, causing the odd couple to perk up, before he released a cluster of dragon limbs that grew mouths with teeth that snapped on the air and sent them streaking at the named party.  
  
A snarl sounded as they were set ablaze in blue flames when Getsu acted in time, and she sniffed at the glance earned from her comrade. Bristling when the limbs drooped before spewing sludgy miasma, she wrinkled her nose.  
  
“Kori, put up a barrier, there's miasma comin' your way!” She ordered her sister, casting a domed barrier of fire as Sesshomaru withstood the spill on his peak.  
  
“The miasma’s getting closer!” Shippo yelped as he and his friends plus the imp backed away from the entrance, looking up at the princess who lingered at the mouth.  
  
Ducking a bit as she stabbed her bow into the bone inches before her and cast a pink barrier several inches thick to protect their party from the miasma, Korihime regarded the bits of poisonous sludge that touched her barrier froze instantly. Giving a soft huff at their foe's futility, she looked back at the humans and asked, “is everyone alright?”  
  
Sango shared a nod with her friends and smiled slightly at her as she replied for their sake, “yeah, thank you, Kori-chan.”  
  
“You don’t honestly think this miasma has any effect on either my fiancé or myself, do you?” Sesshomaru wondered dubiously when the flames died down around said she-wolf who remained on her own peak.  
  
Naraku scoffed. “Even if it doesn’t, you two _aren’t_ the only ones here… isn’t that right, _Getsu?_ ” He regarded the spike in her aura at indicating her sister, allowing the limbs to regenerate as he wondered of both lovebirds, “what will you _do_ , I wonder? The miasma will spread every time you mongrels hack away at my body, and everyone will die without a shadow of a doubt.”  
  
_Not if Kori can help it_ , Getsu thought bitingly, glancing over at her counterpart when his _yoki_ spiked at their foe's taunting.  
  
“Is that all you have to say to me, Naraku? You would think I’d lighten my attacks just for the sake of humans, but I’m not so _sentimental!_ ” Sesshomaru growled as he shot off a sharp blow from Tokijin that sliced the limbs again and made more miasma spew into the air.  
  
Korihime glared at the oncoming wave of sludge before looking at her friend who came up to her, frowning a bit as she started to advise, “ya should focus your attention on slaying that Hosenki character, dummy, I can protect everyone for however long I need to…”  
  
“As much as I appreciate ya doing that, I need you to lower the barrier…” InuYasha brandished the mighty sword and scowled at her alarmed look as he added knowingly, “ya can club me later, Kor, but if I hit it with Tetsusaiga then the demonic wind will blow the miasma away!”  
  
“… fine, but don't expect _me_ to get chewed out for _your_ dumbass idea.” She warned with a reluctant nod before withdrawing her bow from its place and dispelling the barrier, covering her nose with a hand at the swelling stink of the toxins that started to fog the air.  
  
Getsu glanced away when they both caught whiff of the demonic wind coming fast, slightly gaping at the sleeve of adamant shards that came from the great general's maw and tore clean through Naraku's barrier.  
  
“InuYasha, he destroyed the barrier…!” She trailed off and looked down at feeling and hearing the quiet clacking of steel on wood and sobered at seeing her heirloom wanted to be drawn. _You understand, don’t you, Mangetsuga…?_  
  
“Sango, I’m gonna borrow Kirara for a sec, I’ll bring her back!” Korihime, at also sensing that their time to strike was upon them, declared as she hopped onto the giant cat’s back with her bow in hand, clinging to her mane as the named feline sidled to her sister's side. “Getsu!” She greeted her, looking at her with a hopeful smile that threatened to shift to a grin.  
  
Blue locked with silver for a moment before Getsu nodded once and smirked at the shocked half-breed before them, both she and her sister looking away from their foe when they caught the sharp spike of _yoki_ coming from InuYasha. Her smirk widened into a smile as she felt Sesshomaru's gaze burn into the side of her head.  
  
“ _Adamant Barrage!_ ” InuYasha cried before a hail of adamant shards collided with the defenseless Naraku and skewered him where he was.  
  
Sharply drawing her Mangetsuga, Getsu commanded, “ **Dying Wolf’s Blood**!” A wide arc of green barreled for the pinned _hanyou_ and combined with a wordless blue blast from Sesshomaru's Tokijin.  
  
Korihime, who had nocked an arrow that glowed with pink _yoki_ infusing it, let her arrow streak after the combined blow from her companions, lowering her bow as their destroyed foe’s now-tattered body floated around his decapitated head. “We got him!” She beamed.  
  
Getsu gave a growl when Naraku's remains began fading before them. “He's tryin' to leave… and he's got a shard there, too! Kagome, if you've got any arrows left…” she quieted when a sacred arrow streaked past the swirling remains to connect and purify the tainted shard and caused a bright light to shine.  
  
Looking up at the sky as the dark clouds fell away to let the clear sky show again, she gave a relieved exhale and mused, “she got it…”  
  
Regardless if they won the day, the fact of Naraku fleeing back to their world was nothing to drink to, she knew.  
  
If the shard hadn’t sustained him, then that meant that his heart was still alive… _but where?_


	20. Looking for Angels

“ _Mangetsuga_ reacted in the Borderland?”  
  
“Yeah, but I dunno if it's because I didn't use it much during the battle, or if it reacted 'cuz I wanted vengeance on that creep… Papa never told me if the same thing had happened to him, in combat, either. But it's not like it was _his_ fang to begin with, anyway, considerin' it came from Grandma Hitomi.”  
  
Regarding the mentioned heirloom hanging at her left hip, Sesshomaru said thoughtfully, “the latter, most likely.” He felt its master's eyes on him and elaborated, “I know only from stories that your ancestor was as iron-willed of a _daiyokai_ as you, so Mangetsuga wishing to help you even if it was to defeat him states that it isn't _just_ a family heirloom.” While it wasn’t the Tokijin or Tensaiga, her sword was a formidable weapon in and of itself.  
  
“Obviously, yeah…” Korihime agreed in the same tone, adding for her sister's sake, “maybe Granny Hitomi wanted to help you because Father's gone.” If the great she-wolf was anything like their father, then she would’ve helped her successor without hesitation.  
  
Getsu looked down at the katana before her ears twitched as she heard something in the winds, and Sesshomaru followed her gaze that looked heavenward as they saw a silhouette of a familiar woman astride a large feather drop below the mist into the nearby river. She began as more of a thought, “was that…?”  
  
“Looks like it to me…” Korihime finished before regarding said sorceress bobbed with the current that came near their path, frowning as she said, “she looks injured.”  
  
“Even so, she’s not our problem at the moment.” Sesshomaru stated calmly, earning a look from both the imp and girl, as he continued walking along the bank.  
  
_He’s actually right_ … Getsu mused with a slight exhale before she followed him, stalling when the imp called to the girl as a splash sounded. She was first to look back as Rin tried to help the unconscious incarnation out of the water only to be pulled in with the current, and the same happened to Jaken who tried to get Rin out with the staff.  
  
Korihime slapped her forehead as she grumbled, “too bad we don’t have a net…”

Despite the decent beating he had gotten, Jaken gave a ‘ _humph_ ’ and deduced, “she’s a goner, no doubt about it!”  
  
“I’m _shocked_ you didn’t sink to the bottom of the river when you pulled those two out.” Sesshomaru mused to his counterpart who was wringing out her mane of hair near the boulder he leaned on.  
  
Getsu's brow twitched as she scowled at him and retorted knowingly, “ **I’m** the only reason ya bothered to fish us out! Don’t act so damn smug, for once in your life…”  
  
She leaned her hip against his boulder and looked his way at hearing his quiet scoff as he offered his stole to her, looking away when taking it with warmed cheeks, grumbling under her breath, “dog-breath.”  
  
“As much as I don't have any sort of idea what you're referring to, you're welcome.” Sesshomaru remarked with an innocent shrug, otherwise smirking at his catty counterpart.  
  
“You're lucky I'm comfortable, otherwise I'd smack that smirk off your entitled face.” Getsu growled back, keeping her scowl as she held the stole closer to her chest.  
  
Cocking a brow at her challenge, one he knew she would fall through with if he drove her to it, Sesshomaru looked away with his smirk lingering. "That stole looks better on you, _dearest_ ," he noted to her, drawling the petname albeit lightly, glancing her way at hearing silence to regard the pout on her lips and the shy heat that turned her cheeks rosy.  
  
Korihime glanced at the odd pair when overhearing their banter and rolled her eyes on habit, cocking a brow as she looked to the sorceress she had been instructed to heal— ironically it _wasn't_ Getsu who had made her do the job but rather it was Sesshomaru's prompting, as punishment for her nearly vanishing with the damned current— who began to stir, causing the two-man audience of Rin and Jaken to also perked up.  
  
“You lot…” Kagura mused at recognizing the odd pack that belonged to the older dog demon.  
  
“Cover it up, wouldja? There's virgin eyes present.” Korihime pointed out, to which her patient shrugged her kimono on, adding in a curbed tone, “who or whatever struck you used a highly-concentrated blow made of demonic energy. I patched you up without wakin' ya, so I'll take that ' _thank you’_ now.”  
  
Kagura minded the guarded look on the other woman's brow, giving a sniff before she looked past her and observed of him, “so you can show compassion after all, aside from spoiling your princesses.”  
  
“Thank Korihime for fixing your wound instead of pester me. We’re leaving,” Sesshomaru scoffed in return, straightening from leaning on the boulder to start walking away.  
  
“Hang on, don’t you want to know what happened to me?” Kagura demanded as she regarded the shared curious look from the she-wolves.  
  
Sesshomaru refrained from pinching the bridge of his nose, returning over his shoulder, “I have no interest in what happened to you…”  
  
Kagura bristled slightly as she snapped, “even if I told you I found _Naraku’s heart?_ ” Her words made all three canines simultaneously look to her, adding in a curbed tone, “listen Sesshomaru, and you two wolves as well, you know as well as I that Naraku doesn't die no matter how many times he’s slain… that’s because his heart is located somewhere else.”  
  
“Lord Sesshomaru, don’t listen to her…!” Jaken started to exclaim before being silenced when Getsu dug her heel into the top of his head.  
  
Giving a huff as she placed her hands at her hips, Getsu looked at the sorceress and asked patiently, “if you'd please explain, Kagura?”  
  
“At least _one_ of you is wise… here, it’s easier if you take this; Naraku stole a jewel named the Fuyoheki to conceal his aura, and coincidentally hide the location of his heart.” Kagura withdrew a small cluster of jade-colored shards and broke off two of the cluster to toss them to Getsu who caught them with ease, continuing calmly, “that crystal stops glowing when it’s close to the Fuyoheki, and that happened when I found Goryomaru’s temple before he injured me.”  
  
“That temple is less than a day’s ride from here… so that means that this Goryomaru guy is the protectorate of his heart.” Korihime mused, having raised a brow at her sister's civility, giving a puff when Kagura gave a confirming nod.  
  
“Yet he attacked _you_ … whoever he is, he’s a jaded piece of shit if y'ask me.” Getsu noted with a huff as a scowl crossed her brow.  
  
Looking back at the three women as his odd party didn't budge, Sesshomaru gave a slight puff and observed at large, “from what you’re saying, it seems like Naraku is already aware of your being after his heart… he’s competent enough, ironically, to figure _that_ much.”  
  
“Lord Sesshomaru…?” Jaken began surprisedly, looking at him as Kagura bristled at the realization.  
  
Both Korihime and Getsu shared a sagely nod before the latter put in, “it’s pointless if ya keep goin' at this, considerin' it sounds like Naraku already knows of your betrayal.”  
  
“And _you_ , Sesshomaru? You've got more than enough reason to go after him now… so why don’t you?” Kagura wondered of the dog demon with a scoff as she looked at him.  
  
Sesshomaru returned the scoff as he remarked blandly, “don’t tell me you actually want _me_ to kill him for you, Kagura.”  
  
“Naraku can’t be slain unless it’s by someone of _your_ caliber… at least you _and_ Getsu. The both of you are the only ones who have enough power, even moreso combined, to end him.” Kagura stated knowingly.  
  
Korihime and Jaken looked between the incarnation and the mentioned couple, equally surprised at her flattery.  
  
Kagura straightened and huffed slightly as she mused, “I’d better be going.”  
  
“You’re leaving already? Didn’t you come to ask Lord Sesshomaru for help?” Rin asked, earning a glance from the older wolf demon.  
  
“No, I didn’t. I just…” Kagura declined, shaking her head.  
  
Getsu folded her arms at her chest. “It’d be wise to keep on your toes around Naraku from here on… 'sides, if ya _weren’t_ one of his incarnations and _hadn’t_ batted your eyelashes at my fiancé, I might actually start to like ya, Kagura,” she said blandly.  
  
Regarding her silver gaze that held no hostility in comparison to the last time their stares met, Kagura smirked in return and wondered dubiously, “think we could’ve been friends or something?”  
  
“In a past life, maybe? Regardless, it'd be a travesty if Naraku cut ya down before we put him outta his misery.” Getsu replied with an innocent shrug.  
  
“Like _that_ ’s gonna happen,” Kagura scoffed before plucking a feather from her hair to take to the skies astride another large feather, sparing one more look at the odd pack's alpha before flying away and musing, _I just wanted to see him, one last time, before I died._  
  
Korihime sniffed in hurt as she complained, “my own sister actually showed kindness to that cow… I'm gonna die of shock…!”  
  
Calmly whacking the back of her head, Getsu defended in the same tone, “ _’The enemy of my enemy is my friend_ ’… Papa said that himself, _remember?_ 'Sides, the pot’s calling the kettle black considerin' _you_ patched her up.”  
  
“Only because Sesshomaru _made me!_ ” Korihime barked between rubbing the new bump with care, sulking when her sister strode away to gather Ah-Un and ignore her in the same hit, griping, “ya can be so mean sometimes, Getsu…”  
  
“I don’t think that lady wanted to trick us or anything.” Rin offered lightly as she trotted after the sisters’ leave.  
  
Sobering and smiling at the girl, Korihime stooped to lift her onto her shoulders and asked as she walked for the both of them, “how'd ya figure that one?”  
  
Rin smiled and answered with a giggle, “because she’s secretly in love with Lord Sesshomaru!”  
  
“ _ **Eh**!?_” Jaken balked at the idea, blinking once when the named dog demon stiffened at the helm as his mate paused for a moment, giving a gulp as he began, “um, Milord…?”  
  
Sesshomaru continued as if he hadn’t heard a lick of what Rin said.  
  
“Talk about bad timing…” Getsu muttered with an indifferent scoff, tugging on Ah-Un’s reins, striding after his lead as she deemed that _that_ was ridiculous in any sense of the word.  


Korihime looked off to the mountains at sensing the flare of the younger dog demon’s _yoki_ , wondering under her breath, “ _now_ what’d he stumble into…?”  
  
“Did you say something, Kori-onee?” Rin asked at overhearing her babysitter, causing the other's pointed ears to perk.  
  
Getsu regarded the slain demons around the grave and wrinkled her nose as she scoffed, “Naraku’s stink is all over here…” He was obviously the one who resurrected Goryomaru, to add him to his clan for all she knew. And in all honesty, she was still kind of ruffled about Kagura’s visit, but she knew down to her core that he didn't reciprocate that woman's unrequited feelings.  
  
Sesshomaru was hers as much as she was his, and that was enough to satisfy her conscious.  
  
“There’s nothing for us here. Come on,” Sesshomaru said as he found the scent had begun to fade from the air, leading the way out of the ruined temple grounds. Seeing her come to his left and let her sister lead Ah-Un, he added to her, “don't tell me you're dwelling on that woman again.”  
  
Pausing for a half-second before she schooled her face into a mild scowl, Getsu huffed and retorted, “I'm not, as much as _your_ oversized ego would enjoy me bein' upset at realizin' that Kagura fancies you. Ya don't owe shit to her…”  
  
“In comparison to what _we_ have, you mean. Though your misplaced cockiness can be altogether tedious, at times, you're being mature for once.” Sesshomaru remarked calmly as a wry smirk weighed on his lips.  
  
Giving a sniff before she bumped his hip with hers, Getsu took point and drawled in the same tone, “I think ya'd soften up more if ya weren't so arrogant, but what do **I** know, right?” She looked back at him with a toothy smirk.  
  
“More than enough, unfortunately… more than enough, princess,” Sesshomaru scoffed, giving her a look and pretending she didn't giggle.


	21. v i c t o r i o u s

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so, as i mentioned before, here's the filler chap for SoaR. hope yall like!

_Watching his father take to the wood as a massive gray hound, he voiced a scoff at the question that sat in the fore of his mind.  
  
‘ **Someone to protect** ’… the younger dog demon puffed at that as he turned to leave, pondering aloud, “_why would I go out of my way to protect someone? _”_  
  
“Are you two listening to me?” A voice cut in with some impatience.  
  
Blinking once before looking to the one who had cut into his memories, he regarded the younger wolf demon’s cocked brow and curious blue eyes that looked between he and her sister. He followed her gaze to regard the pensive darkening of the older wolf demon’s silver eyes and he elbowed her albeit gently.  
  
Wincing slightly at being yanked from her thoughts, she shot him a mild look before running a hand through her hair to say to her sister, “I dunno, Kor, it’s _your_ turn to hunt for dinner, anyway.”  
  
Pinching the bridge of her nose at the answer, the named princess gave a shallow sigh. “You and _Onii-san_ are one in the same when ya start pondering the _mysteries of the universe_ , or whatever the hell it is that had you so distracted,” she complained before adding in her defense, “and ya _always_ make me hunt for dinner!”  
  
“ _Only_ because you’re a better crackshot,” their alpha patiently pointed out, cracking a slight smirk at the pout that crossed her paler face.  
  
Looping her arm with his as she smiled cheerily at his picking up her slack, her sister agreed in the same tone, “we’ll wait here while ya get dinner, _imoto-chan_.”  
  
“I **hate** when ya call me that… friggin' bossy boots, I swear by the moon…” the younger she-wolf groused, sticking her tongue out at her sister, before turning on her heel to stride away into the nearby wood for their dinner.  
  
Smirk softening at the pleased look that adorned his mate’s face, he detangled their arms if only to take her hand instead. “What _were_ you dwelling on, anyway? Kori seemed concerned, aside from acting childish,” he questioned, his tone quieted, as he focused on her.  
  
“Welp she’s worse than _me_ in terms of bein’ childish, but she’s my sister, so…” she shrugged innocently at that, letting a pout cross her lips at the cocked brow from him, before she sobered and looked to the growing twilight as she explained in an equally-quiet tone, “just missing my parents. I doubt even Papa would know about Mangetsuga, but he'd still try to help, in any sense… y'know how he was.”  
  
Nodding a bit and finding it ironic that they _both_ had been reflecting on their respective fathers, he started to speak when picking up on the bad _yoki_ that stole into the peaceful twilight, causing a bristle to ripple up his spine.  
  
Hoisting up the dead rabbit by the arrow’s shaft, the younger she-wolf looked away to the dying sun at catching onto the foreign aura that made her hackles rise, shrugging her bow onto her shoulder and retreating to her packmates with the rabbit in tow. “Getsu!” She barked as she found them where they had been on the winding dirt path.  
  
“We felt it, too,” the older she-wolf nodded to her, for a moment glad they were together, looking to the foreign beam of fuchsia light that shot out from the well four or five rows of trees away from them.  
  
“It’s coming from the old well…” her sister muttered grimly, glancing away from the light when hearing a sword’s hilt clacking and found the sheathed Tensaiga at his hip was responsible.  
  
Also glancing at the heavenly fang that had caught her ear, she minded his wry smile even as his gaze was locked on the beam of light. “I’ve got a bad feeling…” she muttered before her ears perked at the scent that was mingled with the new omen’s aura, wrinkling her nose as she lamented, “I hate bein' right sometimes.”  
  
“Start dinner, I’ll go check it out.” The younger she-wolf proposed then, causing the odd pair to look to her as she handed off the felled rabbit to her sister. She had recognized the familiar scent with ease, and it was moreso by curiosity that she wished to find the owner.  
  
Recognizing the familiar impulsiveness, albeit bitterly, her sister nodded and advised, “come back once you find him, Kori… and be careful.”  
  
Looking between her companions before her blue eyes rested on the concerned line on her sister’s lips, she nodded back before turning away and loping along the dirt path in their wake.  
  
Frowning at her babysitter’s leave, the girl child asked of the mentioned’s sibling, “is Kori-onee coming back?”  
  
Regarding her worry for the younger wolf, the dog demon replied, “she will.”  
  
Never mind that he’d have _more_ reason to kill that _hanyou_ if anything happened to the she-wolf.

A yawn that showed her canines escaped her, and she looked over at the monk and kitsune that were sound asleep.  
  
She had found the odd trio— that is to say, the demon slayer, monk, and kitsune— in the wake of the possessed _hanyou_ ’s destruction, just before the rain came in. Deeming it wise to stick around with the humans as they waited for the priestess to return from her world on the other side of the well, she knew their having an extra hand wouldn’t hurt in this case.  
  
She only hoped that mutt would get rid of that sword, and soon, before his brother came around.  
  
Ears perking at hearing someone use the lip of the well to get out, Korihime looked at the boxed portal only to grin with relief at the familiar girl that came through. She stood to her feet and stretched before greeting the priestess, “mornin’!”  
  
Kagome perked up at seeing the wolf demon and relaxed before smiling at her, “good morning, Kori-chan, I guess you guys already know about what happened.” She returned, accepting the other’s help when hoisting her bike out of the well.  
  
“Sorta, but Myoga explained it all yesterday,” the wolf demon shrugged, ignoring the urge to wrinkle her nose at being so close to the purified well, looking away first when the monk and kitsune roused.  
  
Once the odd quartet were together, they followed the missing _hanyou_ ’s trail further into the wood until coming upon the corpses of ogre demons that lay scattered in a stony ravine that dropped into a thin river.  
  
Bristling at the stink of death and bad _yoki_ that was jumbled up together, the she-wolf looked from the monk and demon slayer that descended the ravine to inspect the carnage to the river that led off into the mountains. “If that sword is meant to be wielded by a _daiyokai_ more than anythin', then why’d it end up in the modern world?” She wondered aloud before looking on the dead beasts below.  
  
_‘I just remembered that one who’s slain by Sounga returns as a soulless corpse_ …’ the scabbard’s caretaker, Saya, mused with a grim tone in his disembodied voice, yanking the two archers’ attention to him.  
  
The she-wolf voiced a growl when one of the ogres moved, bristling as her companions gaped when the slain beasts rose up to advance on the monk and demon slayer. “Ya could’ve said that _sooner!_ ” She scolded the spirit before nocking a _yoki_ -infused arrow in her bow and firing at the green ogre’s forehead, watching it teeter back as its head became engulfed in pink light to then drop into the murky waters.  
  
“Kori-chan,” the priestess began in relief, sharing a slight nod with the named princess.  
  
Tossing her Hiraikotsu at the blue ogre only for it to keep moving as she severed its torso from its bottom half, Sango bristled before looking past it at Miroku who used his Wind Tunnel to absorb the ogre’s torso and then grimace when its remains poisoned his hand. “Damn it,” she cursed as she went to his side.  
  
The maroon ogre rushed the odd pair before being sharply kicked in the belly by the wolf demon who had jumped into the ravine, the beast being sent flying into the river.  
  
“I always hated ogres,” Korihime grumbled before doubling back to the odd pair and inspecting the monk’s hand with a frown as she chided, “ya’ve got a death wish if you pulled that stunt, Miroku.”  
  
Giving the princess a dry look, Miroku looked at Sango as he pointed out, “well I kinda had to.”  
  
Sango smiled ruefully before looking up at the priestess and reminding both women, “you two should keep going, we’ll manage. With your luck, you’ll find InuYasha.”  
  
Kagome frowned with concern for her friends before looking at the wolf demon who had retreated to her bike, sharing a nod. “You two be careful, then!” She advised the odd pair before pedaling after Korihime’s lead when the lattermost took off along the rocky path with the mentioned party’s scent in her nose. “You think they’ll be okay, Kori-chan?” She asked as she came to the other’s right.  
  
“They’ll be fine, I think. ‘Sides, Kirara’s with them,” Korihime replied calmly, looking at the lingering concern in the priestess’ cobalt eyes and smiling at her as she assured, “your friends are pretty tough considerin’ they’re human, Kagome.” Thinking on the missing dog demon, she added lightly, “guess all three of you _hafta be_ , though, since ya gotta deal with InuYasha on a daily basis.”  
  
Kagome quieted at her assurance before voicing a giggle as she also thought of the mentioned _hanyou_.

Letting both Rin and Jaken free of her grip as she had tailed the brothers with them in tow, Getsu regarded the traded blows between the fighting pair and groaned under her breath as she muttered, “they’re both idiots…”  
  
Common sense told her to not worry for long over Korihime’s absence, as that meant she had stuck around the hanyou’s ragtag party to aid in their search.  
  
Sesshomaru hadn’t been happy about his brother acquiring Sounga, another of their father’s heirlooms that _he_ had, at least until the last day, thought died _with_ the general. As was his way, he had become distant and only listened to Tensaiga that led him towards where Sounga was. He only spoke to her to advise her to keep Rin, Jaken, and herself out of the fray when they both sensed Sounga approaching.  
  
Getsu was yanked from her thoughts at hearing a low growl that came from InuYasha, and she bristled at seeing him resort to his other half.  
  
She stiffened as Sesshomaru gave him a rough shove away from the edge of the rocky cliffside and rushed him only to forsake Tokijin in favor of grabbing hold of Tetsusaiga’s hilt. “Sesshomaru!” She barked when he drew the mighty fang from its scabbard and let off a blast of energy that narrowly missed his brother to create a rift in the rock that made debris fly.  
  
“That was masterful, Lord Sesshomaru!” Jaken praised from their hiding place before he and Rin gawked when the older dog demon dropped to a knee out of pain that came from his now-burned hand.  
  
Getsu considered going to him before looking over at InuYasha who, still possessed, rounded on them. “Jaken, take Rin and go.” She ordered the toad, straightening first from their hiding place to assess the threat.  
  
“But, Getsu-onee…!” Rin began worriedly.  
  
“ **Now**!” The named wolf demon snapped before she rushed the _hanyou_ who came at her, Mangetsuga flying from its scabbard to block his swing, causing the blades to screech when connecting. She regarded the bloodlust in his reddened eyes that didn't belong to him by any rights, shoving him back with a brief burst of _yoki_. “Snap out of it, InuYasha!” She declared, digging her heels in when he flew at her again and made her block before punting him away, rushing him with a growl as he retaliated with a sharp swing that she caught.  
  
The gem of Sounga glowed as the sword cackled and drawled when their blades locked, ‘ _stupid wolf, don’t you wish to kill InuYasha? He **is** the one who rendered your dearest handicapped, who stole your younger sister’s heart, isn’t he?’_  
  
“ _Shut your ass, **wouldja**?_” Getsu snarled back, fangs flashing in her frustration with the cursed heirloom, before she grimaced when forced back and felt the broken rocks at her feet cut into her heels. She gave a growl as she roughly shoved InuYasha away before rushing at him again to then be kicked square in the chest by the other and sent back to land on her rear.  
  
‘ _You’ll regret staying your hand, like your **miserable father** once did, wolf wench!_’ Sounga vowed as the she-wolf was trying to regain the air that had been knocked out of her lungs at the kick, powering up a thick purple funnel of energy.  
  
“The hell’s _that_ mean, like Papa…?” Getsu wondered around a cough, looking at the strengthening attack with a paled face as she grumbled, “oh shit.”  
  
“ **Don’t do it, InuYasha**!” Korihime cried as she and Kagome had found them at last, breaking away from the girl’s side to stop the attack as she called to her sister, “ **Getsu**!”  
  
“ _Sit boy!_ ” Kagome shouted as she ran after the wolf demon, watching the beads around InuYasha’s neck brighten as she came closer, hearing the sword swearing up a storm, before she shrieked, “ _SIT!_ ”  
  
Like lightning, Sesshomaru dove in to snatch Getsu out of the way of the blast as he and Korihime spirited away mere seconds before a loud crash engulfed the girl and _hanyou_.  
  
Getsu grimaced at the noise and looked at the exasperated and relieved scowl that adorned Sesshomaru’s brow, smiling for him and offering around a slight cough, “you’re welcome?”  
  
Sesshomaru shook his head at her recklessness, smirking ruefully in return. “For shortening the years on my life with your impulsiveness?” He guessed in the same tone before letting her free of his grip.  
  
Korihime smiled exasperatedly at the odd pair before breaking away to check on her friends, pausing when InuYasha stood from the small crater to look from the unconscious Kagome to her. Relaxing at seeing he was his normal self, if not a bit tired from having dealt with Sounga, she smiled at him and began, “thanks for scarin’ the hell outta me…”  
  
“Take care of Kagome, wouldja?” InuYasha cut in, voice quiet as he glanced back at his priestess, regarding the confused spark in the other’s blue eyes before he brushed past her to stride over to his brother. “Hey, **I’ll** destroy Sounga. I don’t need interference from **you** …” he stated flatly.  
  
“You’re still lacking,” Sesshomaru cut in, straightening from retrieving Tokijin from the ground and ignoring the other’s growl at his words, adding to him, “you should thank the girl for saving you.” Tucking Tokijin back in place, he started away from the site and heard Getsu follow.  
  
Korihime watched her sister pause for a moment in following their alpha to look back at her, affording a smile for her that was received with a nod, before she sighed and shrugged her bow onto her shoulder to trot over to InuYasha.

“Ya should’ve stayed behind.”  
  
“I didn’t think ya worried about _me_ like you do _Kagome_.”  
  
Cheeks turning rosy, he gave a _‘keh_ ’ and looked elsewhere. “Well _you’re_ my friend, _and_ a princess, so I gotta,” he pointed out in his defense.  
  
“ _That_ ’s more of a title than anything, for one, and for _another_ , you don’t gotta worry about me breakin’ a nail,” she remarked as she raised a hand to flick his white ear, smiling innocently when he growled and shot her a look.  
  
InuYasha puffed as the quiet of the early morning resettled around them.  
  
Korihime had followed him if only to ensure that he was all right, and heal his bum arm, sticking around on the excuse that it was wiser for there to be two of them when he found and dealt with Sounga.  
  
Given that arguing with her would be a losing battle, if not _painful_ thanks to her long bow, InuYasha had conceded.  
  
Both friends found where Sounga had gone, which wasn’t that difficult to locate as it had utilized a zombified ogre to carry it, coming to a halt neck-deep in a forest of bamboo.  
  
Wrinkling her nose at the regarding the disturbed grave of one Takemaru of Setsuna, the wolf demon frowned. “Must not have been _that_ esteemed in life if he was buried here instead of in some posh burial site…” she mused.  
  
Giving a slight snort at that, the _hanyou_ wondered aloud, “why would Sounga come to _this_ grave in particular?” He quieted when Tetsusaiga began clacking in its scabbard at his hip, earning their general attention, before he was first to look away and bristle on habit at seeing his brother coming from the green with the other wolf demon at his heels.  
  
Getsu shared a smile with her sister before watching the younger dog demon move away when his brother approached the grave marker, rolling her eyes at his wariness, shuffling to stand at her sister’s side and muse to her, “looks like one of the lesser warrior clans, if anything.”  
  
“I was guessing that but figured _you’d_ know more considerin’ Father kept you in the loop more than he did me,” Korihime agreed, rubbing her neck with a hand before extending a knowing look to her sister.  
  
“… _human_ burial site!” InuYasha accused, earning the girls’ attention, drawing Tetsusaiga as he added, “the hell’s your connection to him?”  
  
Irritability seeming contagious, Sesshomaru scoffed as he drew Tokijin and retorted, “if anyone’s got a connection to that vermin, it’s _you_. You wouldn’t know of it, though, given you were born an ignorant _baka-hanyou_ … suppose you’ll _die_ that way, too.” Regarding his bristling sibling, he rushed him with a sharp swing that was caught by Tetsusaiga.  
  
Stabbing her bow into the ground before them, Korihime summoned a domed barrier colored pink and gave a shake of her head at the brothers’ urge to fight. “You’re not angry that I’ve stuck around longer than expected, are ya?” She wondered of her sister.  
  
“Nope, I know you’d have gone off with him in any sense,” Getsu replied before folding her arms at her chest and tilting her head a bit as she then asked, “ya think Papa fought the great general, at some point?”  
  
“Why? They were friends, far as I knew… they _had_ to be, I figure, if they both ruled the west.” Korihime returned with a curious cock of her brow, regarding the slight frown that weighed on her sister’s lips and starting, “ _Onee-chan_ …”  
  
Getsu shook her head and looked at the brothers as they exchanged powerful blows, Sesshomaru a sharp blue blast from Tokijin and a Backlash Wave from InuYasha’s Tetsusaiga, admitting, “Sounga goaded me into thinkin’ they did, but the damned thing made it sound like Papa _spared_ the great general… maybe they _did_ fight, though, before deciding to rule the west together?”  
  
Korihime quieted and looked at the brothers as Sesshomaru seemed to put in a burst of _yoki_ into his attack that sent InuYasha flying, giving a puff and looking at her sister. “Whatever happened between them _obviously_ ended well, didn’t it, if they were able to find middle ground? Sounga was just messin’ with your head, that’s all, Getsu… but I gotta admit that I’m glad it didn’t possess you,” she reasoned.  
  
Perking an ear at the last bit, Getsu smiled and clapped a hand on her back as she remarked gently, “I am, too. Don’t let him get ya in trouble, though, or it’s my foot up **both** your asses.”  
  
Korihime’s opened mouth clamped shut at the threat and she pouted, yanking her bow from the ground to dispel the barrier, saying flippantly, “yeah, yeah…” she stuck her tongue out when Getsu chuckled before following Sesshomaru’s leave.  
  
“Ow…” InuYasha grumbled as he grimaced and looked heavenward from his landing in a patch of broken bamboo, looking away at hearing boots and regarding the gloved hand of aid from his companion. “Guess she didn’t tell him to lighten up, did she?” He wondered, taking her hand and hoisting himself up.  
  
“Ya still owe her for the mountainside, dummy,” Korihime reminded, letting go so he could locate Tetsusaiga and return it to its scabbard.  
  
Quieting at the reminder, InuYasha nodded and started off from the disturbed forest, hearing her follow until she came to his left. “Kori, you saw my old man, right? You’d know what he looks like… you or your sister, at least,” he asked before the quiet could step in.  
  
Raising a brow at the sudden question before she regarded the pensive darkening of his gold eyes, Korihime folded her arms behind her head as she looked forward. “I barely remember seein’ him, actually… Getsu saw him more than I did, given he'd pop in every once in a while to ensure that she and Sesshomaru got along as kids,” she explained.  
  
In her opinion, InuYasha didn’t need to collect the shards to make himself strong, considering he already _was_ as a _hanyou_ … noone knew what he would be like if he were to be a pure dog demon, and she for one didn’t want him to change. He was fine the way he was.

Hearing thunder softly growl above as the rains started to pick up, she gave a shallow exhale.  
  
Sounga had drawn them to the citadel it and Takemaru had stolen, from the ragtag humans to their odd pack, to accumulate the host of one thousand strong that now stood as a buffer between the citadel and their forces. Between the humans and smithy as well as their canine quartet, there was enough to go around… and only the gods knew _what else_ lay inside the walls of the citadel.  
  
This was an altogether crafty plan of that Takemaru bastard.  
  
“Don’t tell me you’re actually afraid of the walking dead.” He said, drawing her from her thoughts.  
  
Looking to him for a moment before looking away at seeing his sibling was first to charge the spear-toting host, she scoffed back and flexed her claws as she retorted in the same tone, “I thought _you_ were worried about your fiancé gettin' embroiled in all this?”  
  
Gold caught silver before he regarded the undead army with a wry smile. “I’d rather we fight _together_ , in all honesty… never mind that I know you’d throw yourself into the fray regardless of my say-so,” he drawled back, his smile softening a degree when their eyes locked again.  
  
“You know me _so well_ , dearest mine,” she purred, leaning in to kiss him before teetering back on the balls of her bare feet, turning away to rush at the clustered host that waited for them with her _yoki_ spiking.  
  
“Made of iron **and** brashness, he really meant,” he mused aloud in her wake as he watched a brilliant plume of blue fire clash with the dark of the afternoon, following with Tokijin in hand.  
  
“Be careful, Kori-onee!” Rin called to her babysitter who had found them and proceeded to hop from Ah-Un’s back to deal with the clustered host meant for their ragtag numbers.  
  
“Promise!” Korihime agreed as the dragon steed flew ahead, wielding her long bow in both hands while striding up to the host, and a daunting smile crossed her lips as she sensed her sister’s heightened _yoki_ nearby that seemed to make her own kick up. “Wouldn’t be wolf demons if we _didn’t_ give it our all in a battle like this, right?” She mused aloud, letting her aura flow into the bow to utilize it as a club, before she rushed at the host and began smacking them away.  
  
Between the four canines and the humans that picked up their slack, the host that shielded the citadel was at last defeated within an hour if not two.  
  
Placing her hands at her sides as she regained her breath, Getsu looked from the scorched earth that would heal with the rain to where Sesshomaru was when an explosion went off. “Damn it,” she grumbled before she doubled back to his side to punt away a spare zombie and torch it with ease.  
  
Sesshomaru regarded the concerned glance from her at seeing Tensaiga had been taken, shaking his head of rain. “You shouldn’t start fretting, at least if this battle isn’t over,” he advised patiently.  
  
“I wasn’t _about_ to…” Getsu retorted with a soft puff as she looked away for a moment, looking up at him when he wiped smudged blood from her cheek with his thumb, before she added wryly, “but at this point it’s an instinct.”  
  
“Moreso second-nature, I would think,” Sesshomaru remarked, starting to assess the remaining host with Tokijin before Getsu cast them aflame with a flick of the wrist and did the job instead. He rolled his eyes when she tilted her head as their stares caught again.  
  
Getsu started to tease him when catching whiff of an ogre, looking away to spot a tall maroon ogre retreating into the citadel’s confines with Kagome and Rin in tow. “Damn it,” she growled.  
  
“ _Lord Sesshomaru, help me!_ ” Rin cried, causing both dog and wolf demon to rush after the beast’s leave.  
  
“Kagome!” InuYasha barked as he tore after the odd pair, looking away for a moment at hearing boots to see Korihime racing to flank him.

_Damn, that guy was annoying!_  
  
Nocking another _yoki_ -infused arrow, she fired at the host that surrounded the brothers, hopping from the low stone roof as the zombies were obliterated where they stood to step up to the two. “If you two would _save_ the brotherly shit for when this is over, ya’d have already gotten inside,” she pointed out.  
  
“ _Or at least spend less time threatenin' each other!_ ” Her sister called from having overheard them, skidding to a halt before the trio after having torched another sleeve, deadpanning at the dry look from the older dog demon who then turned to resume leading the way into the castle.  
  
“That’s plain dirty, ya jackass!” InuYasha called annoyedly, scowling in his wake before being first to regard the new wave of zombies that came up to them, grumbling in the same tone, “geez…”  
  
Korihime readied to fire again before faltering when a familiar Hiraikotsu came tearing in to mow down the host, grinning at the humans astride Kirara and greeting lightly, “you lot took a century, at least!”  
  
“I’ve got his back if you two cover theirs,” Getsu advised as she spared a wink at her sister, following Sesshomaru’s leave and burning her way through the fresh sleeve that came down the same walkway. Once inside the castle, she kept her swift pace only to skid to a halt when finding Kagome and Rin entangled with the same ogre from before.  
  
“Let her go!” Rin barked as she was tossing subjugation beads at the beast, perking up when a snarl sounded from behind the ogre before it was severed at the waist with a katana’s blade. “Getsu-onee!” She beamed in relief.  
  
Letting Kagome scramble away to regain her breath, Getsu stabbed Mangetsuga’s blade into the beast’s skull and destroyed it with a brief flash of teal. “These bastards are dumber than a sack of bricks, usually,” she mused as she retrieved her sword and flicked her wrist to rid the blade of brains, looking away and smiling when Rin threw her arms around her in a hug, giving a squeeze.  
  
“Where’s InuYasha?” Kagome asked when the other woman set Rin down after urging her to stay with the former.  
  
Getsu nodded behind her, “he’s on his way. Both of you should find my sister, she’ll keep an eye on ya. If you’ll excuse me.” She ruffled Rin’s hair before brushing past Kagome up the stairwell in search of Sesshomaru.  
  
“… _even kill a corpse?_ ” A drawl that didn’t belong to Sesshomaru sounded when she found the room.  
  
Sesshomaru stepped aside at sensing the familiar spike of _yoki_ , dodging the blast of purple energy that clashed with Takemaru and sent him flying into the back of the room. “You should’ve gotten Rin out of here,” he greeted.  
  
“And leave you to go at this _half-assed_ like always?” Getsu retorted, bristling at the ominous glow from Sounga in the dark, as she flexed her grip on Mangetsuga.  
  
Takemaru rushed the she-wolf who blocked him with ease, sneering at the stony set of her brow and humming, “Sesshomaru, you never said your beloved was so good with a blade. She might put you to shame…!” He shoved her off.  
  
Getsu returned the sneer and rushed him again, sending him on the defense for another couple of lunges, ignoring the metallic screech when both blades met as she growled, “I’d take that as a compliment if I thought ya were a man of honor!”  
  
Both canines were first to catch whiff of an oncoming attack, half a second later, as they moved out of the way of a Wind Scar that tore into the room to send Takemaru flying again.  
  
“That’s typical of ya, picking up the scent of my Wind Scar,” InuYasha scoffed as he came into the amber light, regarding his brother as he added blandly, “I was hopin’ to take you _and_ that asswipe out in one hit.”  
  
Sesshomaru rolled his eyes as he retorted in the same tone, “your _’wind_ ’ was more like a light breeze.”  
  
Getsu shook her head at their barbs and began, “boys…” she bristled at their revived foe reentering the light only to be intercepted by InuYasha, considering aiding him when Sesshomaru grabbed her hand in his. Shoulders slumping, she gave him a wry look in return.

“Kagome, where’re you going?” Shippo called after the girl who left the barrier’s safety.  
  
Korihime gave a short exhale at her departure. “Rin, hold onto my bow, okay?” She urged gently of her charge, earning a nod and hopeful look from the girl, before she straightened to also leave her barrier and follow Kagome. She looked away from tailing the priestess to regard the burst of blue fire that blocked Sounga, barking, “Getsu!”  
  
Getsu dropped back when Sesshomaru and InuYasha dove in only to get in each other’s way, groaning under her breath, gripping the hilt of Mangetsuga and leaping over them. “ **Dying Wolf’s Blood**!” She called before sharply swinging the blade outward, driving Sounga away with a blast of green energy, landing with Mangetsuga clashing with the possessed sword as the other had narrowly avoided the attack.  
  
‘ _Not bad, wolf wench, not bad at all…! Sesshomaru, watch as I send your dearest to her grave!_ ’ Sounga jeered between punting her off, starting to power up a Dragon Twister when a rumbling shook its footing.  
  
High rifts of pink ice shot up to wedge themselves between the hodgepodge Sounga had become and Getsu, encasing the creature where it stood.  
  
“You’re gonna hafta get through **me** before y'think of sendin' her anywhere, ya cursed dagger!” Korihime vowed as she had made the jump to their ledge from where Kagome was, pink ice encasing her fists like gauntlets.  
  
Getsu looked over at her sister and grinned in relief, her ears twitching when the ice began to crack. “Figured you didn’t wanna miss out on the fun,” she greeted.  
  
“ _You_ cover Sesshomaru’s arrogant ass enough times so it’s only fair for _me_ to cover yours, too.” Korihime remarked lightly, smirking at the pout from her sister who sheathed her heirloom.  
  
Breaking the ice as it got free, Sounga trained its blade at the wolf sisters and bit out, ‘ _insolent spawn of a mongrel, you’ll pay for that!’_  
  
“ _Wind Scar!”_ InuYasha declared as he shot off the familiar blast of wind to divert the heirloom from powering up a Dragon Twister, rushing at the creature before Sesshomaru spirited past him to send it on the defense. “That ain’t fair, Sesshomaru!” He barked.  
  
“You dumbasses need to work **together** to beat that thing back to hell!” Korihime advised annoyedly, regarding her age-mate’s indignant look and adding, “Tetsusaiga **and** Tensaiga can both destroy it, InuYasha!”  
  
“As if that’s gonna _work_ , Kori!” InuYasha reminded pointedly as their stares locked.  
  
"If you two are done professin' your love for each other, **a little help would be nice**!" Getsu hollered at them between helping Sesshomaru drive Sounga back with several blasts of fire from her fists.  
  
Both younger canines shot her a sore look before the _hanyou_ broke away first to help Kagome who shot off a sacred arrow at the creature, raising Tetsusaiga high before a sharp Dragon Twister sent him flying to land on Kagome's ledge.  
  
_'You're not bad, I'm amused!_ ' Sounga cackled, starting to power up another Dragon Twister when Sesshomaru's whip lashed out and snagged the blade to make the attack come spiraling in his direction.  
  
" _Onii-san!_ " Korihime exclaimed before wincing when a loud _'boom_ ' sounded as a ball of blue fire crashed into the attack and made a large plume of dust fly into the air.  
  
Fangs bared out of anger as she had dove to protect him, Getsu panted and staggered slightly when she made to move forward, giving a growl at the arm that found her waist before she leaned into his side. "Told ya, didn't I, about bein' half-assed?" She wondered into his neck.  
  
Sesshomaru afforded a quiet chuckle at her sass, looking on his winded she-wolf as he remarked in the same tone, "so long as I don't lose you, I'm fine with it." He gave her waist a squeeze before letting her draw away.  
  
_'Stupid mongrel!_ ' Sounga snapped after punting away the younger wolf who had spirited at it with a sword composed of ice that shattered at its critical blow, rushing her only to be halted with the broad blade of Tetsusaiga as a resounding _'klang_ ' tore into the air.  
  
Fangs bared in anger, InuYasha sent the hodgepodge flying back and snarled, "keep your cursed ass away from her!" He glanced back at his age-mate who had shaken out of the surprise and scrambled up, sharing a nod with her before he rushed the heirloom.  
  
Powering up another Dragon Twister after deflecting a Wind Scar, Sounga vowed, _'I'll send you miserable brats into the pits of hell!_ '  
  
" **No**!" Getsu shouted as she bolted forward to protect her sister, perking up when Sesshomaru spirited past her, before she gave a growl and followed at his heels.  
  
"You're both in the way!" Sesshomaru barked at the younger canines as he threw himself into the eye of the attack.  
  
" **No, Sesshomaru**!" Korihime yelled in his wake before being shielded by InuYasha when the attack landed, turning her face into his neck.  
  
Both younger dog and wolf demon perked up at the sharp spike of _yoki_ that came from the plume of dust that began to clear, regarding their respective siblings that were encased in a large dome of blue fire that had kept the twister at bay.  
  
Giving a tired and shallow exhale, Getsu let the barrier diminish before looking away from the overall-giddy heirloom to the right as a wall of pink ice streaked for it, causing it to drop back again only to be caught by InuYasha as the blades collided again. "Ya know it's gonna take both Tetsusaiga _and_ Tensaiga to end this," she pointed out as she looked at him.  
  
"I had assumed as such, though it might take another century before I ever work with _him_ of all people." Sesshomaru retorted before giving a huff at the thought of tag-teaming with his least favorite person, frowning at her disgruntled groan.  
  
"For the love of all that's _holy_ , Sesshomaru!" Getsu exclaimed, loosely running a hand through her hair, scowling up at him as his brother was knocked away again.  
  
' _This time, I'll deliver the final blow! You pack of mongrels will fall into the pits of hell along with those mortal brats!_ ' Sounga cried as it began to power up a larger and albeit deadlier Dragon Twister.  
  
"Fine, be stubborn and let us all die; Kori's all I've got left, so I gotta protect her first!" Getsu snapped annoyedly as she broke away from Sesshomaru's side when Sounga let off the last Dragon Twister, joining InuYasha as he released a Backlash Wave from Tetsusaiga and skidding to a halt at his side to unleash a wide blast of blue fire that combined with his blow. She glanced behind her at feeling her sister's _yoki_ spike and smirked for her sake when a high rift of pink ice barreled after the combined volley.  
  
The sound of steel clacking with wood drew his attention to Tensaiga in its scabbard as it glowed blue, and Sesshomaru recalled that last conversation with his father that night.  
  
"' _Someone to protect'_ …" he echoed as he thought of his odd pack, from Korihime to Rin and Jaken, his conscious lingering longest on Getsu who got under his skin and loved him in spite of his demeanor… renewed determination made his eyes burn as he glanced to the intended she-wolf who had shifted a bit to protect her sister.  
  
"I, Sesshomaru, **do** have someone to protect!" He stated as he drew Tensaiga and swung it in a wide arc, causing a torrent of blue energy to chase the combined volley.

_'… All along, my master believed this would happen._ '  
  
"Keh, what nerve!"  
  
"Ridiculous."  
  
Deadpanning at their response, the younger wolf demon exhaled shortly and strode away from her sister's side to slap both brothers on the back of the head, prompting another round of deadpan expressions from the spectators.  
  
" **Ow**..." both dog demons winced at the same time before they rounded on the responsible female and demanded in chorus, " _ **what the hell, Kori**!?_"  
  
Content with her deed, the named princess planted her hands on her hips and snapped, "well _someone_ had to smack ya! You two dumbasses _always do this_ without even a lick of consideration for your packs! You're lucky your father ain't around to see ya pull this horseshit, otherwise _he'd_ clock ya both so bad that you'd wake up in _another five hundred years!_ "  
  
"Oi, Miss Enforcer, let's get a move on!" Her sister called calmly so as to keep the shouting match from making any more spirits pop up from their graves, taking Ah-Un by the reins and leading him away.  
  
Korihime waved at the ragtag party before she stuck her tongue out at InuYasha and then scampered after her sister with a sulking Sesshomaru following.  
  
"You could've stopped her from scolding me like a child, you realize," Sesshomaru groused to his mate as he brushed past his offender, rubbing his new bump with care.  
  
Getsu couldn't help but laugh at his soreness, giving an innocent shrug as she offered, "it's better her than me. I was honestly gonna yell your ears off for bein' a moody mutt, but Kori beat me to the punch."  
  
Quelling a wince at the thought of receiving one of her iron fists, Sesshomaru instead pinched the bridge of his nose as he lamented, "it's any wonder you're _both_ a challenge..." An ear perked at the quiet chuckle that came from her, and he shot her a look as he wondered, "what _now?_ "  
  
"Your father looked proud of the both of ya." Getsu answered, voice quieted, regarding the sobered spark in his gold eyes and adding in the same tone, "you look a lot like him, and sometimes ya act like him, too."  
  
Absorbing her words as he looked elsewhere for a moment, Sesshomaru gave a soft huff. "As much as you've done your own father proud in coming this far," he mused quietly, regarding the soft look that adorned her face, as he took her hand in his.


	22. Imaginary Folklore

She didn’t warn her before she had run off when catching his scent and, as much as she didn’t want to admit, maybe their father had been the wisest man they had ever known.  
  
Or maybe because they both knew that moronic mutt-face would throw himself into danger yet again!  
  
“I will kill you and take your jewel shards now!” The pale behemoth declared as his limbs ensnared the wolf demon and coiled around him like a snake.  
  
Her _yoki_ -infused arrow streaked through the air to sharply rip the arm off, therein setting the captured clan head free. “You’re gonna hafta go through _me_ before that ever happens, monster,” she stated with another arrow at the ready as she fixated on the tall demon she’d struck.  
  
“ **Kori-chan**!” The two lesser wolves said in chorus at her surprise arrival.  
  
The beast bristled as his arm grew back, glaring at her. “Another wolf… you should have aimed higher!” He sent his regenerated arm sailing for the she-wolf.  
  
“And ya should learn your place…” she let her second glowing arrow fly to obliterate the limb as they met in mid-air, musing grimly, “guess I should've figured with that horrible stink ya carry that _you’re_ Naraku’s latest spawn.”  
  
“You’re rather astute for a wolf demon. I am Moryomaru, and if I’m not mistaken, _you_ must be the princess of the western wolf clan… but you’re just the _runt_ of the litter. Naraku mentioned how powerful you and your sister were though, in all honesty, I don’t see why he worried!” The christened Moryomaru declared before he flew at her.  
  
Koga clenched his teeth as he watched her stand there prepared to take the brunt of the attack, snapping at her, “Kori, move!”  
  
_Come on, just a little bit closer_ … Korihime bristled as her _yoki_ flared around her and she flashed her teeth before concentration fled from her grasp when a sacred arrow streaked through the air to hit the beast in the middle just as he got closer, ripping him in half. She scowled when he took that as an excuse to fly off into the sky.  
  
Moryomaru scoffed as he rose higher into the air and promised, “this is far from over, wretched mongrels!”  
  
“Who fired that sacred arrow?” Hakkaku asked at large.  
  
Ginta wondered, “it wasn’t Kagome’s, was it?”  
  
“No, its power was stronger than hers…” Korihime shook her head before giving a surprised squeak when she was then pulled by her scruff into a tight embrace.  
  
“You moron, ya could’ve been killed just standing there!” Koga growled a scolding as he held fast to her, quieting for a moment when she seemed to calm in his hold and reciprocate the gesture, drawing back only to wince when she flicked his ear, grousing, “ow… Kor, what the hell!”  
  
Korihime couldn’t help but laugh. “'Least **I** didn’t almost lose my shards! I’m surprised you’re still alive with all the trouble ya go lookin' for,” she said as she stepped away from him and smirked.  
  
Rubbing his ear, Koga looked away with a sniff. “Pfheh, like _you’re_ one to talk... oi, get off my woman!” He barked when both Ginta and Hakkaku threw themselves at the she-wolf and hugged her while thanking her profusely for saving his neck.  
  
“Ya should already know to _not_ dub me as that, dumbass…” Korihime scolded, deadpanning as she had conked him with her bow after shimmying out of the brothers’ hold.  
  
_Since when was she any man’s property, anyway?_  
  
“Kori-chan, don’t ya have to get back to your pack?” Ginta asked as his alpha rubbed the noticeable bump on his head.  
  
Korihime nodded. “I don’t gotta worry though, Getsu knows I came to see you lot and she trusts Koga to not let me get hurt,” she said with a cheery smile.  
  
“Funny how she doesn’t worry for _my sake_ when ya get catty…” Koga huffed before adding, “I thought you had that kid to worry about, though.”  
  
“Thus explainin' the visit, dummy.” Korihime rolled her eyes and turned to leave before adding lightly, “just call when y'need me to save your ass again.” She smiled at him before jogging away.  
  
Koga made a face before returning, “well don’t get yourself killed before I see ya again, wolf girl!” He earned an aimless wave from the she-wolf who continued to put distance between them, smirking despite his annoyance with her as he looked to his men, “alright boys, let’s go!” He then took off in a different direction and let the brothers run at his heels.  
  
“Hey Koga, so does this mean you like Kori-chan more than Kagome?” Hakkaku wondered aloud.  
  
“There’s nothin’ wrong with liking **two** women at the same time!” Koga huffed at his question.  
  
Although, truth be told, he thought of Korihime more than he would ever admit.

“ _You_ have it bad.”  
  
“Tch, why would I? He still sniffs after Kagome when he gets the chance, he’s such a jerk…”  
  
Regarding the rosiness in her paler face, Getsu looked ahead and smiled serenely as she pointed out, “deny it all ya want, but I’m pretty sure I said that plenty times about Sesshomaru.”  
  
“Yeah, so what’s your point...?” Korihime began to snap before it dawned on her, and her rosy cheeks threatened to stay permanently pink as she cut her gaze away and growled defensively, “don’t act so smug!”  
  
“Oh c'mon, it's adorable! My dear little sister fallin' for her knight in shining armor…” Getsu said dreamily before sobering when the Fuyoheki shards in her palm stopped glowing, scowling a bit at the sign and looking at their alpha as she began, “hey, Sesshomaru...”  
  
“I already caught his scent.” Sesshomaru said, having come to a halt as they were just shy of a cave that cut into higher part of a nearby incline, glancing back at his counterpart who stowed the shards back into her collar as their stares met.  
  
Rin pointed out from astride Ah-Un, “look, there’s a cave up there!”  
  
“Rin, stay with Ah-Un,” Korihime instructed gently despite having wrinkled her nose a bit, looking to the dog demon who sent a blast from Tokijin at the incline.  
  
Dust plumed and filled the air around them before a tall figure came into view on the other side of the cloud. “You are InuYasha’s brother, are you not?” The beast wondered.  
  
“I’ve never considered that lowly _hanyou_ to be my brother, but as _you're_ clearly aware of that, you’re Naraku’s heart.” Sesshomaru retorted, bristling a bit as he brandished the Tokijin.  
  
_That’s Moryomaru_ … Getsu realized as they looked on the pale demon who had seemed to give himself a suit of armor since her sister had seen him, drawing Mangetsuga as she mused with a huff, _he’s the one who swallowed up that Goryomaru ascetic… Naraku sure knows how to pick 'em._  
  
“Sesshomaru, you will regret not introducing yourself before drawing your sword.” Moryomaru drawled before blocking the downward strike from the named party.  
  
“As much as _you’ll_ regret mentioning that half-breed’s name in my presence!” Sesshomaru snapped with a glare as he minded that the blade barely left a scratch on the lesser demon’s protected arm.  
  
“Tokijin isn’t even leaving a dent!” Korihime declared with concern as she and Getsu watched, adding grimly, “he must've absorbed another demon’s armor to protect the infant…”  
  
Absorbing another attack from the deadly sword, Moryomaru chuckled and declared, “go on and keep swinging that sword of yours, I’ll consume all of your energy that way!” He absorbed another one before adding as he readied a trio of red-lined orbs, “I can’t let you have _all_ the fun, can I?”  
  
He sent the trio pelting for the dog demon who hopped out of the way, firing off another volley before a wide arc of purple collided with the attack and made an explosion rattle the dry battlefield.  
  
“Considering you’re new, your attacks are nothin' to yawn at!” Getsu drawled as she rested her sword on her shoulder, scowling at the armored demon and adding in the same wry tone, “though ya can’t expect me to just stand by while Sesshomaru is havin' so much fun.” _If we rip him to shreds, then we can crush Naraku once and for all!_  
  
“So you’re **her** , then… Lady Getsuei, the over-cocky wench Naraku told me so much about. You should stop your barking while you're ahead!” Moryomaru sneered as he sent a volley sailing at her.  
  
“Getsu!” Korihime barked from her place with Rin and Jaken before perking up at the sudden spike in her sister’s _yoki_.  
  
Having cast a flaming shield to destroy the volley when they hit, Getsu gripped the sword’s hilt and snapped, “I didn’t know he was so intimidated by a woman!”  
  
She grunted as she stabbed Mangetsuga’s blade into the earth and watched teal and green sparks ripple down the blade before a large blast of the same energy erupt from beneath their enemy’s footing to send him flying into the air. “Sesshomaru!” She barked as dust flew from the explosion.  
  
“As if I needed a cue…!” Sesshomaru remarked with a smirk at her before he leapt into the air to ram Tokijin’s blade into the beast’s hide, perking his ears when their foe’s _yoki_ sharply spiked.  
  
“Damn it…!” Korihime hissed when the dust cleared to show Sesshomaru ensnared in the pale limbs of Moryomaru’s outstretched right arm and Tokijin stuck good in his armor, slightly gaping as she mused, “the blade’s starting to crack!”  
  
Getsu growled, “Sesshomaru…!” She looked away from the battle at the direction the familiar whiff of blood came from on the breeze, murmuring quietly, “Naraku got to her first.” Her hands formed into fists and slightly shook as she returned her sword to its scabbard.  
  
“So that useless woman died, then? Good riddance… she betrayed Naraku and then **me** , all for her freedom. And what does she do when she gets it? She dies in vain of **that**!” Moryomaru scoffed in disgust.  
  
Korihime growled before stiffening as she looked between her sister and their alpha when both lovers' _yoki_ sharply spiked at the same time.  
  
“ _Silence!_ ” Sesshomaru growled out, slicing his way out of the beast’s hold and leaving him shocked as he dropped back for a second, before he rammed Tokijin’s blade into his armored shoulder as the energy he’d absorbed came flooding back into his sword, feeling the surge of anger radiate between he and Getsu and snapping at the incarnation, “the energy you absorbed couldn’t possibly be taken by a demon as _pathetic_ as you…”  
  
“Sesshomaru, **move**!” Korihime cried as the ball of blue fire that was her sister barreled right for the armored vassal, watching him jump out of the way just as Getsu slammed her right foot down on Moryomaru before she grinned and said, “you did it!”  
  
Getsu flipped in the air and landed expertly just as Moryomaru reeled away while coated in flames before becoming encased in a miasma funnel and fleeing. Panting softly as she watched him run, she growled under her breath, “damned coward…”  
  
Suddenly feeling like if a large weight dropped onto her back, she winced as she caught herself from dropping by instead taking a knee, closing her eyes tight for a moment as her body softly trembled and wondering, _what was that just now…?_  
  
“Stay with Kori.” Sesshomaru’s smooth voice held concern as he stopped at her side, causing her eyes to snap open and watch him start to leave for her to be tended to by her sister.  
  
“ _Wait!_ ” Getsu snapped, watching him turn to her as Korihime halted in running to her side, steadily straightening as she said when their eyes met, “I’m comin' too.”  
  
Korihime scowled at her stubbornness as she scolded, “you can barely _move_ , Getsu…”  
  
“ _Korihime!_ ” Getsu bit out, ignoring the wince at being silenced so sharply as she looked at her and stated in the same tone, “there’s no time to waste so don’t fret about me.” She turned away to run in the direction of the sorceress’ scent, pretending her sister didn't call her name as she willed her feet to go faster. _It’s my fault, I should’ve made her stay with us since we saw her last… Kagura, don’t die yet!_  
  
Her vision started to blur with frustrated tears, and she gave an involuntary yelp when a hand suddenly found her scruff to then lift her off the ground.  
  
Sesshomaru voiced an audible groan as he paused to let her cling to his neck, taking off and musing to her, “you are _incredibly_ bull-headed, you realize.”  
  
Otherwise grateful he had picked her up, Getsu scowled slightly and began with a few cracks in her voice, “Sesshomaru, I…”  
  
“I know you, princess, therefore I know you feel guilty for this… you seem to forget that you and I have known each other for centuries.” Sesshomaru interrupted patiently, looking at her when her arms at his neck gave a squeeze as she looked away from his gaze with a sniff.

The scent of blood and flowers filled her nose as a gentle breeze played with her hair.  
  
Looking heavenward, Getsu frowned a bit at the clear skies and wondered, _Papa, I can’t help but wonder if you experienced this, too…_  
  
“Are you leaving?” His voice drew her from her thoughts, causing her to look at the two.  
  
She had a sad smile on her lips as she replied quietly, “yes, I’ve had enough.” Now that she had seen him one last time…  
  
He watched her fall back as the rest of the miasma that had come from her wound ascended with a lone feather amongst the fumes as another breeze tugged at his hair, before he looked at his companion who shuffled forward to watch the wind demon disappear. “Don’t blame yourself for this,” he said quietly.  
  
“I'll try not to, but I... I can’t help but wonder if maybe we couldn't have been friends, after all,” she remarked in the same tone, her hands that trembled a bit from the earlier battle balling into fists at her sides. “C'mon, we should get back to Kori,” she added, starting in the direction they came.  
  
Having spared a final look at where Kagura was, Sesshomaru caught up to her and considered saying something when he caught whiff of tears. He smiled ruefully at her grief for a woman she had come to like as a possible friend albeit too late, and he took her hand in his as he mused, “your sense of compassion continues to astound me.”  
  
Quieting as she had considered speaking, Getsu looked to the trees and cleared her throat before smiling fondly, giving his hand a squeeze.  
  
“Sesshomaru, wait!” The odd couple paused at both smelling and then glancing back to see the _hanyou_ and his pack had also come. Said younger dog demon wondered with some hesitation, “did Kagura… did she suffer?”  
  
Sesshomaru turned his gaze away and replied, “she was smiling.”  
  
Getsu glanced back at where said wind demon had died before letting him lead her away.


	23. Waxing Crescent

The scent of the salt in the sea assailed her nose in an oddly gentle manner.  
  
_‘ **Why's it just me who inherited this, Papa**?’ She had asked exasperatedly after another training session.  
  
Her honorable father smiled patiently and placed a hand on her head.  
  
‘ **Because you’re the firstborn of our clan, and because you’re strong. Strong enough to protect both yourself and Korihime, and one day you’ll even surpass me**.’ He sobered slightly and ruffled her hair as he added, ‘ **one day you'll be the head of our clan, Getsuei, and you will carry your title proudly, as I do and as our ancestors did. But until then, and even after I will die one day, you are my little moon**.’  
  
His kind eyes that were silver like hers shone with warmth and pride before she embraced him, to which he held on just as tightly…_  
  
Giving a brief exhale as she closed her eyes, Getsu let his smile linger in her mind before she opened her eyes to regard the clear blue waters beyond her grasp. _I will carry this, Papa, for as long as I can… if not for you, then for what pack I've got left_ , she inwardly promised as she spared a smile at the sea when another breeze played at her hair.  
  
Hearing her plop down with him on the stout boulder, his ears gave a twitch when she leaned onto his right side, and Sesshomaru spared her a glance as he observed, “you’re strangely affectionate.”  
  
“Blame your stole for bein' so fluffy… though you‘ll ruin your handsome looks if ya keep sulkin' like that.” Getsu remarked calmly, having nuzzled her cheek into the soft fur, before resting her head on his shoulder.  
  
Feeling his brow twitch even though he smirked at her remark, he retorted defensively, “I've already told you that I do _not_ sulk…”  
  
“Ah-huh, whatever you say, darling…” she agreed with a soft snort, wincing a bit when thunder suddenly rumbled in the air, being first to abandon the boulder as a jolt of lightning struck the ground a few yards away from them that made the girl and imp startle as her sister hopped up with her bow in hand.  
  
The older wolf demon relaxed when the plume of dust that sprouted from the blast cleared to reveal the smithy astride his three-eyed cow.  
  
“Oh, Totosai, it’s been a while!” Korihime greeted lightly, having also relaxed at the sight, smiling at their visitor.  
  
Totosai rested his gaze on the dog demon and recognized the stronger sword the other normally wielded was missing. “ _That_ ’s why I felt a disturbance... Tokijin is gone,” he observed.  
  
“Even without the Tokijin, my claws would be suitable enough to tear you apart.” Sesshomaru pointed out, bristling a bit as he straightened and flexed his claws.  
  
Getsu shot him a mild look before rolling her eyes and apologizing to the smithy, “please forgive him, Totosai, he’s been rather catty these last few days… what'd ya mean when you said something was off?”  
  
“Indeed, it was unavoidable that I come here as Tensaiga was the one who summoned me, after all.” Totosai replied with a nod and measure of relief towards the she-wolf’s mercy.  
  
Korihime blinked once as Getsu and Sesshomaru shared a look, the former echoing confusedly, “ _’Tensaiga summoned you’?_ ”  
  
“It’s not like you can play dumb, I know Tensaiga has been disturbed of late,” Totosai gestured to the dog demon who spared a brief glance at the named heirloom, adding thoughtfully, “that’s interesting, it appears your heart has now achieved what it’s been lacking.”  
  
Jaken balked before defending, “what’re you going on about? Lord Sesshomaru’s heart is flawless!”  
  
“He’s referring to _compassion_ , toad!” Getsu silenced him, folding her arms at her chest as she added matter-of-factly, “if anything, it’s because of our incident with that piece of shit Moryomaru.”  
  
Granted that also explained the distant mood he had been in since, though he empathized with her so he wasn't _that_ distant, but the Tensaiga reacting to his change of heart at Kagura’s demise wasn't entirely what she expected.  
  
“Exactly! Tensaiga reacted to the change in your heart, namely to the rage and sorrow you felt for another person… but now you must hand over the Tensaiga.” Totosai agreed, continuing when he earned a sharp scowl from the sword’s master, “it's time for it to be reforged as a weapon!”  
  
“ _‘ **As a weapon**_ ’?” Getsu and Korihime asked in unison.

A collective groan sounded from the trio of lesser demons as their spirits were taken to the underworld before their halved bodies hit the ground with a collective ‘ _thud’_.  
  
“S-so masterful, Lord Sesshomaru…!” Jaken sniffled behind their alpha who sheathed his reforged sword.  
  
_This Meido Zangetsuha is really somethin', especially coming from a sword that couldn’t cut before it was reforged… his learning it as quick as he did just proves that he really is his father’s son_ , Getsu mused even as she felt a rather proud smile tug at her lips, regarding his glance in her direction as she teased, “y’know you’re showin' off for no reason again!”  
  
Regarding the proud manner of her smile, Sesshomaru calmly retorted, “don’t get too excited, I've still got a lot to learn with this new sword.”  
  
“With _your_ stubbornness, you'll weather through,” Korihime mused aloud before she looked elsewhere at catching a familiar scent, giving a puff as she grumbled, “of all times…” She shouldered her quiver and started walking.  
  
“Kori-onee, where’re you going?” Rin asked behind her, seeing her babysitter pause.  
  
Getsu ruffled the girl’s hair gently as she followed her gaze and requested patiently, “try not to get killed this time.” Even as she said such, their venture to Mt. Hakurei returned to the fore of her mind.  
  
Rolling her eyes before looking back at them, Korihime promised knowingly, “I’ll be back before noon tomorrow, _Mum_.” She turned to take off into the growing night.  
  
“She's coming back, right?” Rin wondered aloud as she watched the wolf demon’s visage become fainter the farther she ran.  
  
Sesshomaru regarded the concern in the eyes of the named she-wolf’s sister before he calmly stated for both females' sake, “she doesn’t go back on a promise.”  
  
But still, he _would_ kill that mongrel of a clan head if she died.

The maroon wolf beast snarled, _‘even so, these claws have bathed in wolf demon blood, and they want yours too!_ ’  
  
“Doesn’t sound like your wish is gonna come true!” She sang as she strode into the clearing after having thrown a knife at the beast's back, hearing it snarl in pain and reach to unstick the knife from its place before she added blandly, “'least not with me around.”  
  
He scowled slightly at her as he scolded, “this ain’t your concern, Kori, ya should’ve stayed with your pack.” He _was_ glad she had come, though, mostly because he'd been having trouble of late getting her out of his mind.  
  
“Catching Naraku’s stink muddled with yours was _enough_ reason for me to come…” she remarked before trailing off at the sight of the bronze claws he sported on his right hand, and her eyes sharpened as she began, “w-wait, that’s not…!”  
  
‘ _Another wolf to devour then!_ ’ The beast exclaimed, yanking her from her thoughts, as he swung at her with his claws.  
  
Koga growled out, “keep your paws off her!” He lashed out with his new claws and watched waves of lightning collide with the beast to then destroy it with ease, glaring at the observing effeminate incarnation and adding bitingly, “you’re next, coward!”  
  
“Am I, now?” Said demon wondered blandly.  
  
Regarding the new spawn with some disgust, Korihime agreed in the same biting tone, “judging by your stench, you’re the one who summoned that beast to strike out at the wolves and lure Koga here to take his shards. Seems like enough reason to cut ya down, in _my_ opinion.”  
  
The incarnation smiled sweetly as he looked to her and said, “considering your also being a wolf demon _and_ a pretty face, you're rather clever. I imagine your big sister is that wolf wench, Getsuei... Naraku failed to mention that your temper was so scary. But, before you two kill me, you might consider that you’re putting his brother’s life at risk.”  
  
Koga bristled as he warned, “tell me where he is or _I’m_ the only one who’s killing you!”  
  
Also bristling, Korihime watched the stranger tap his lips with two fingers before she regarded the giant moth that sprung up from the woods at least a mile away with a young wolf demon in its grasp. “You bastard… tell me what name ya want carved on your grave!” She demanded as the pup’s brother sped off after the insect.  
  
“Forgive my rudeness, milady, I am Byakuya of the Dreams. But you should hold back for now, I think, given that that moth demon is giving off energy that will make it appetizing to larger predators.” The christened Byakuya explained as he lifted into the air astride a giant white paper crane.  
  
“Even a blind man could spot the resemblance…” Korihime groused before her ears twitched when the winds picked up behind her, giving an involuntary yelp when being hoisted from the ground by his strong arms and barking, “h-hey Koga...!”  
  
“Hang on to me, Kori!” Koga advised, doing nothing to fight a smirk at her surprised face before she clung to his neck as they chased the odd party.  
  
Both wolves arrived in time to find the young wolf named Kai who had, unfortunately, come across a familiar armored beast.  
  
“Moryomaru?” Koga slightly gaped at recognizing the pale-skinned beast as he set her down.  
  
Korihime bristled as she said flippantly, “great, he’s uglier than he was the last time!” She didn’t know how well Koga’s new toy would fare against that armor, but if even Sesshomaru lost his Tokijin because of it, then they were in for a long night.  
  
“Koga, I'm glad you're here, it beats me going through the trouble of looking for you.” Moryomaru returned coolly, regarding the female wolf demon at his side as he drawled with a smirk, “and Princess Korihime! You ought to feel ashamed at not informing your beloved about my new armor.”  
  
_Kori faced him before now… how the hell is he still standing? Moryomaru should've already died by her sister’s hand_ … Koga thought even as he bristled and glared at the larger demon, glancing at the pup who tried to face off against the incarnation, stopping and advising him, “ya don’t stand a chance against this thing, kid.”  
  
“So you’re gonna help us?” Kai asked before looking at the she-wolf who shifted a bit to shield him.  
  
“Like ya need to ask… actually, I’ve been _dying_ to use the Goraishi on this creep.” Koga answered with a huff as the named claws reappeared to shield his hand.  
  
Moryomaru smirked again as he promised, “I will absorb you _and_ your jewel shards… let’s see how you like my _Raimeho!_ ” He shot off a volley of the christened white orbs at the wolves just as Koga returned the favor with a blast of lightning from the Goraishi only for both attacks to collide, the _Raimeho_ destroying the electricity, before the incarnation observed of the clan head, “you’re rather sluggish compared to last time, Koga! Try to dodge this!” He sent another several orbs at the trio.  
  
Korihime shoved Koga out of the way as she had snatched the pup from the ground, landing on her feet yards away. Sparing Kai a sweet smile after setting him down, she advised, “keep outta the way, pup.”  
  
Koga perked up when several limbs shot out from the incarnation and aimed for them before he pushed her out of the way and snapped, “get back, Kori!”  
  
“Koga!” Korihime yelped slightly before righting herself just as Moryomaru had snatched both wolves in his grip, and she snarled when he took the shard from the pup’s right leg before aiming to do the same to Koga. _Yoki_ sharply spiking in anger, she loosed an arrow only for it to be swatted away by the beast, and she growled an order, “release them, Moryomaru!”  
  
“If you’re _that_ concerned for them, you may as well _die_ for them!” Moryomaru drawled as he powered up another _Raimeho_ and fired the volley at the she-wolf.  
  
“ **NO**!” Koga yelled as dust rose into the night air, and he perked up to see she had disappeared.  
  
A loud growl erupted from her throat as Korihime crashed down from having leapt up to dodge the attack, her ice-encased fist smashing into the incarnation’s scarred face and sending him skidding back as she landed nimbly.  
  
Catching whiff of a familiar attack that was coming in fast, she hopped out of the way of the Wind Scar that screamed for Moryomaru and ripped his limbs off with ease. “Ya sure took your sweet time, InuYasha!” She declared lightly as he and his pack came onto the scene, more than happy to have his help even though she was mildly annoyed at his tardiness.  
  
“Moryomaru, you swallowed something that didn’t belong to you, didn’t ya?” InuYasha snapped as he glared at the incarnation.  
  
Koga had scrambled away from said overgrown beast and huffed as he came to her side, wondering blandly, “ya can’t say you were expecting that mutt to help, can ya?”  
  
Jabbing her elbow into his ribs, Korihime chided, “shut up and accept the help for once, mutt-face.”  
  
“You couldn’t hope to destroy my heart in this new armor, InuYasha, as it would take an army of one hundred strong to even try!” Moryomaru said proudly.  
  
Adamant formed along the blade of the mighty sword as InuYasha huffed, “if that’s the case, then maybe this will do the trick. Adamant Barrage!” He sent a volley of the shiny spears pelting for the incarnation.  
  
“Your _’Adamant Barrage_ ’ will make a brilliant addition to my arsenal!” Moryomaru drawled as the shards collided with his right shoulder before said arm became coated with the shards.  
  
“The hell were ya thinkin', moron? Now he’s stronger than before!” Koga snapped annoyedly at the _hanyou_.  
  
“I swear…” Korihime began, having slapped her forehead in exasperation, before she dodged the Adamant limb that flew for her and ensnared Koga in its grasp instead, griping, “not again!”  
  
Kagome stopped her before she could run to his aid, “Kori-chan, wait, I think Koga’s shards are being controlled by Midoriko!”  
  
“ _’Midoriko_ ’… that's the priestess who created the Shikon Jewel, right? Since when did she start dictating things?” Korihime asked confusedly as she looked at the priestess.  
  
Both women looked away to the mighty blade of Tetsusaiga that pulsed before adopting green dragon scales along the top part of the blade as its master flew forward to attack the incarnation, only to have dark blue spouts of energy fly from the blow before said half-breed was sent flying from the attack.  
  
“That’s impossible, how could you absorb my energy?” Moryomaru exclaimed annoyedly as the _hanyou_ picked himself up.  
  
“InuYasha,” Korihime nocked an arrow after jogging to his side, meeting his gold eyes and continuing dryly, “Sesshomaru struck at his armor with Tokijin mere days ago, so Moryomaru's got a weak spot. Watch where my arrow lands and strike with Tetsusaiga.”  
  
Regarding the hardened light in her blue eyes, InuYasha nodded and gripped the hilt of Tetsusaiga before he remarked, “tell him _'thanks'_ for softenin' him up for me.” He watched her arrow fly to strike at a crevice on the right shoulder and, _yoki_ spiking, he and Koga rushed to strike the same spot.  
  
“They did it!” Korihime smiled before perking up as InuYasha was sent flying from his own sword, voicing a groan when Moryomaru seized the chance to flee into the night. She jogged over to the odd pair just as the dust cleared from where Moryomaru had been to reveal Byakuya who had been observing them, and she nocked a _yoki_ -infused arrow to aim it at him.  
  
“Imagine how much scarier it would've been if Moryomaru wasn’t the only one fighting you lot. I must say that the Dragon-Scale Tetsusaiga really _is_ something if it damages its owner in the process of sending Moryomaru away with his tail between his legs.” Byakuya declared.  
  
As guarded as both the she-wolf and priestess, Sango mused, “you mean if _you_ had helped Moryomaru.”  
  
Byakuya lifted a miniature paper crane as he lamented, “I’m afraid that I won’t be fighting you tonight, as my orders were to only observe.” He then took off into the night astride its larger form.  
  
Lowering her bow with a huff, Korihime grumbled, “he’s as cowardly as Naraku.”  
  
“He gives me the creeps…” Koga agreed grimly, scowling at her as he added, “what ya did to save me was pretty reckless, y’know.”  
  
“Excuse me for trying to help, jerk-face, but _someone_ had to save your ass since ya couldn’t do it yourself!” Korihime scoffed as she bristled and glared back, recalling his worry with Moryomaru before she huffed and turned away to go back to her pack, adding over her shoulder, “don’t bother callin’ on me the next time Naraku tries to kill you, ya oversized arrogant sunnuva…”  
  
“I didn’t say I wasn’t grateful!” Koga cut her off when he caught her wrist, regarding her somewhat-hurt gaze as he relaxed his grip with a short exhale and added in a curbed tone, “I'm glad for your help, but I really don’t appreciate that death wish ya got when you stick your neck out for me. I doubt I'd be able to live with myself if I failed **you** , too, Kori… and I’m pretty sure your sister would roast me alive if ya died on my watch.”  
  
He felt embarrassed heat color his cheeks at hearing the clearing quiet around them, but, for one mad moment, didn't care as he looked on her with all seriousness.  
  
Softened expression faltering when he mentioned her sister, Korihime looked away to laugh and her ears twitched at his chuckling with her.  
  
Inhaling to steel herself from stalling what she felt was right, whether by instinct or courtesy, she leaned up a bit to kiss him softly, drawing away when he stiffened and giving a giggle in the same manner at the surprise in his stare as she mused, “you’re a moron, but in a good way.”  
  
Koga pouted after a moment, mentally whacking himself back to the reality that she had just kissed him, his hand that had custody of her wrist favoring her hand instead, as he remarked knowingly, “don’t start, pedigree.”


	24. Dreams

The incarnation skirted out of the way of the dog demon’s poison claws before huffing, “you could at least introduce yourself before striking at me.”  
  
“Your smelling like Naraku is enough reason in my opinion.” Said dog demon bristled.  
  
“You must be Lord Sesshomaru…” the incarnation hopped atop a large paper crane when a jet of blue flames narrowly caught his heel, looking on the other canine as he tilted his head and added cheekily, “and I see you brought Lady Getsuei with you… isn't that sweet.”  
  
Said wolf demon flexed her claws as she mused, “ya could at least tell us what Moryomaru's doin' skulking around here.”  
  
He smiled and replied calmly, “I am merely a spectator, my lovely Lady.” He looked off at his comrade who had absorbed the two warring twins and added as more of a thought, “he absorbed Kinka and Ginka for their demonic power… Naraku might have to watch it with this one.”  
  
“Stay here.” The dog demon urged his significant other before he left to approach the other incarnation.  
  
Said she-wolf huffed as she looked at the effeminate incarnation and wondered, “I don’t suppose you have a name.”  
  
“Forgive my rudeness, if you will, I am Byakuya. Byakuya of the Dreams,” the christened Byakuya smiled politely despite her hardened look.  
  
She perked up when the armored incarnation sent a volley of fire and lightning pelting for the dog demon before it was sent to the underworld via Meido Zangetsuha, and she bristled as he fled into the skies. “That coward…” she took off to aid her significant other just as he became surrounded by small paper cranes. “Sesshomaru!” She called as she got closer and her hand flew to Mangetsuga’s hilt.  
  
“Stay back, Getsu!” He ordered sharply before releasing another Meido Zangetsuha at the cranes, watching them be sent to the underworld through the narrow crescent.  
  
“Unfortunate for you, Naraku instructed me to let Moryomaru live. Farewell, lovebirds!” Byakuya said before he took off after his comrade into the clouded skies.  
  
Getsu scowled after their leave and exhaled as she approached him. “Sesshomaru…” she began as she touched his shoulder before retrieving her hand when a slight growl came from him.  
  
_Yoki_ calming from the spike caused by his anger, Sesshomaru exhaled. “I told you to stay back,” he scolded.  
  
“And I told _you_ that I could handle whatever Naraku throws at us,” Getsu returned as she scowled at the heavens.  
  
Sesshomaru pinched the bridge of his nose before lowering his hand as he defended in a curbed tone, “I have no doubt about that, I just…”  
  
“Ya only felt the need to protect your fiancé. I kinda overdid it when we last fought Moryomaru, but I won’t do it again.” She interrupted quietly as she turned to him, and there was a frown beginning to furrow her brow before she added, “'sides, we haven’t seen the last of Moryomaru _or_ that Byakuya character.”  
  
What she **didn’t** add was that she was the slightest bit worried about her sister.

“You’re sure it was wise to leave Ginta and Hakkaku behind? I know how loyal they are to you…”  
  
“They were slower than I am, and besides, they looked better returning those pups where they came from.”  
  
Korihime smiled wryly and her ears twitched as they both caught her sister’s scent, smiling again. “C'mon,” she led the way to the camp at a sprint and heard him shortly follow before calling, “Getsu!”  
  
“Kori-onee!” Rin jumped to her feet just as the odd couple stood at hearing her approach, breaking away from the fire’s side and running to embrace her babysitter. “Kori-onee, we were worried about you! Getsu-onee was especially worried when you didn’t come back.” She said as she was held tight to the she-wolf’s chest, looking up at her kind blue eyes.  
  
“I know, I’m sorry I worried you, Rin. My friends needed help with somethin',” Korihime apologized as she let her down and followed her to their small camp.  
  
“Try lettin' me know ahead of time how long you’ll be gone, why don’t ya?” Getsu chuckled as the two wolf demons came into the light, stepping up to her sister and hugging her before stepping back and glancing between the couple. A playful smirk crossed her lips as she sang in the same tone, “well it’s about time.”  
  
Koga pretended his cheeks didn’t burn as he acknowledged that his companion was also blushing, voicing a huff. “Look, I only came with Kori for the same reason ya stick around with _your_ mutt,” he defended as said dog demon shot him a look.  
  
Korihime cleared her throat before the fur could fly and said, “I need to tell you something, _Onee-chan_.” At the curious look she earned in response, she gestured they step away from their odd pack to speak in private.  
  
Getsu gave a slight nod when her significant other gave them a look before she traipsed to walk at her sister’s side. “If you’re gonna admit that I was right about Koga, you didn’t need to be so discreet,” she said.  
  
“That’s one thing. The other is that I… I want to stay with him, for a little while longer,” Korihime admitted, regarding the curious look from her sister, and giving an exhale before recounting the latest incident with Moryomaru.  
  
“Wait, _the_ Goraishi?” She stopped walking and looked at her in surprise before she looked away and huffed as she mused, “so the stories were true. Papa said they had been sealed away a hundred years, but that was a while before we left the north. To think our ancestors blessed Koga with that glove...” now it all made sense.  
  
“I don’t know if he knew that uniting the west and the eastern clans through marriage would happen, but Father gave me the honor of marrying Koga one day. Getsu I can’t leave him, and frankly I won’t… he doesn’t say it but I know by his actions that he loves me.” She stated as she looked off at the campfire with a look that the older of the two recognized as she had been seen with that look regarding Sesshomaru.  
  
The backs of her eyes stung before she slightly shook her head. “You’re grown, Kori, you’ve matured so much since that day. I didn't put up a fuss when ya went after him because I trust my little sister, and I can’t make ya stick around because you’ll worry for him, I know you will. Go with him if it's that important to you… just promise you won’t die before we see each other, again,” she reasoned as she adopted a stern look that they had seen their father sport enough times.  
  
Sniffing, she nodded back and smiled warmly. “It’ll take another thousand years before I let Naraku kill me,” she remarked, giving a slight wince before chuckling when her sister tousled her hair, letting her retrieve her hand to then throw her arms around her in a tight hug.  
  
_I won’t die, I swear on my birthright that I’ll live on just to see you again_.

Leaping back from being hit by the arc of teal energy, Byakuya regarded the odd couple. “Your methods haven’t changed,” he greeted.  
  
Getsu kept her sword on hand as she knelt next to the boy before wrinkling her nose at the stink of miasma that emanated from the snakes wrapped around him. _So Naraku wanted to make sure the shard was tainted before having Byakuya bring it to him… talk about vile_ , she thought as her companion stepped forward.  
  
“Lord Sesshomaru, I’m surprised to see you and your lovely she-wolf here.” Byakuya said lightly.  
  
“Moryomaru’s scent has disappeared so we assumed that Naraku consumed him.” Sesshomaru replied coldly.  
  
Byakuya glanced between the two canines, “yet you two came to save Kohaku. I assume this effort was on your part, was it, milady?” He pretended she didn’t glare at him.  
  
“It wasn’t intentional.” Sesshomaru returned before adding blandly, “there was a foul stench in this direction and we followed it to come across you.”  
  
“As much as I hate to disappoint, I must take my leave.” Byakuya lamented as he rose into the air via another large paper crane, adding as he fled, “maybe next time you’ll have the decency to announce yourself.”  
  
Returning her sword to its scabbard, Getsu straightened and groused, “damn that weasel is annoying.”  
  
“I couldn’t agree more,” Sesshomaru agreed as he followed suit just as Rin and Jaken came out from the bushes, adding to them, “the snakes are poisonous so don’t touch him.”  
  
Rin replied with some uncertainty, “okay, but what happens if you’ve already been bitten?”  
  
Both Getsu and Sesshomaru deadpanned as they looked at the odd trio and regarded the purple snake that had latched onto the imp’s right arm.  
  
“Then the arm’s just gonna have to come off!” Getsu said cheerily, sobering first, despite the dark aura around her.  
  
Jaken paled at the thought as he whimpered, “please get it off, Lord Sesshomaru…”


	25. Stardust

Both wolves landed on the cliffside ledge, and the bowstring creaked as she aimed at the smug _hanyou_ while angrily ordering, “get your claws off her!”  
  
‘The situation has changed _’ has it? Then if Kikyo doesn’t want him to hand over his shards, that just means she doesn't have to die by my hand… killing Naraku for bein' a pain in our asses is a better idea, anyway,_ she thought as she gripped the bow.  
  
“You wanted me, didn’t you, Naraku? Then here I am!” The clan head growled as he wielded the Goraishi and leapt at their enemy, releasing a volley of electricity that was blocked with ease by the latter’s Adamant arm.  
  
Letting the arrow become encased in ice, she let it fly before bristling when the collar of Adamant shards deflected it from striking the _hanyou_ ’s once-open jugular. She leapt out of the way of the extended Adamant arm that had been seconds from crushing her and the ledge she occupied, landing expertly near the monk and demon slayer. _I can’t waste my arrows if he keeps tryin' to get at Koga’s legs… I've still gotta do something, at least until InuYasha shows up_ , she thought before twirling the bow in both hands and stabbing it into the rocky ground with her _yoki_ spiking. “You lot stand back,” she advised the humans nearby as the gorge gave a thrumming quake before jagged slabs of pink ice shot out from both sides to surround the vile half-breed.  
  
“Goraishi!” Koga barked, bouncing off the icy slab behind him after ducking another swing to launch himself at their foe, perking up when his legs slowed down just as Naraku released a cloud of miasma.  
  
“Koga!” Korihime exclaimed when he was ensnared in their enemy’s limbs, rushing to propel herself from the short edge of a nearby slab as twin daggers made of ice formed in her grip. _I won’t let you die today, idiot!_ She thought as she sailed through the air before sharply inhaling to hold her breath when she breached the toxic cloud.  
  
“Korihime!” Sango barked as they watched the she-wolf throw herself into the miasma, gaping a bit when both wolf demons emerged from the miasma on the other side.  
  
Tears stung at her eyes as her lungs felt like they were aflame, and Korihime scrambled away to cough and shake her head. She’d never walked through a smokescreen before and frankly she didn’t want to do it again for as long as she lived! She perked up when he gave a breathy laugh near her, looking at the other wolf and beginning around a stubborn cough, “Koga…”  
  
“That was crazy, considerin' I’ve never seen anyone willingly throw themselves into miasma like that…!” Koga said around a cough of his own, his eyes softening a bit as he traced his calloused fingers along her left cheek and smirking when she kept his hand, offering in a gentler tone, “sorry I spooked ya, Kor.”  
  
“Don’t apologize, I’ve seen worse with my sister,” Korihime remarked gently with a returning smirk, sobering as she was first to regard the _hanyou_ who lifted the caught priestess higher by a spindly branch limb, straightening and reasoning to Koga, “c'mon, we should regroup with Sango.”  
  
Both wolves returned to the odd pack just as the better _hanyou_ arrived and swung the Tetsusaiga down on his foe’s occupied arm.  
  
“Kagome, hold!” Korihime declared as she jogged to where the younger priestess was, skidding to a halt at her side.  
  
Kagome lowered the bow and looked at the two wolves as the male wolf had followed his companion. “Kori-chan, I'm glad you’re both okay,” she said, adding with a somewhat confused look, “why’d you tell me to hold back?” It wasn’t because she knew Kikyo didn’t want her to shoot, was it?  
  
“You only have one arrow, and it’s gonna take more than that to end him! I can shoot all day long, but _you_ can’t. You’re the only one who can save her, Kagome.” Korihime stated firmly, seeing some surprise appear in her cobalt eyes before the gravity of her duty darkened them, and she earned a nod from the younger priestess.  
  
_Kikyo’s fate was decided when she was resurrected, but that’s why Kagome is here… only she can purify the jewel now._  
  
“Holy… that’s the inside of his body!” Korihime gaped slightly when, after InuYasha sliced through their enemy’s vortex, a gaping maw appeared on the other _hanyou_ ’s right side. _Is it possible that we can end him today?_ She wondered.  
  
Kagome perked up as she sensed the tainted jewel chunk inside their enemy, calling to their companion, “InuYasha, the Shikon Jewel is inside his body, I can see it!”  
  
InuYasha made to slice at Naraku again with the Tetsusaiga before the latter released his hold on Kikyo and let her fall, and the former flew after her.  
  
“That dumbass mutt…” Koga growled under his breath before turning slightly to his companion and, when she looked at him with a raised brow, he took her face in his hands to firmly kiss her. “I love you, now stay here, Kor,” he smiled for her before abandoning the ledge to lunge at Naraku.  
  
“Koga…” her lips tingled from the sudden kiss before she gripped the wood of her bow and nocked an arrow to aim at Naraku.  
  
“I can’t see the jewel anymore… Koga, it’s a trap!” Kagome suddenly declared, causing the other archer to sharply look her way.  
  
“ _ **What**!?_” The odd trio astride Kirara exclaimed in chorus.  
  
Watching her counterpart become snatched up in a cocoon of Adamant, Korihime gave a growl as she gripped the bow tighter when her _yoki_ spiked and flowed into the arrow, vowing as she fired, “you won’t take him from me!” She readied another arrow as the first pierced part of his collar bone that wasn’t protected by the shards, lowering her bow a degree when Miroku and Sango approached him and perking up when the former used his Wind Tunnel. _He can’t use it too long, otherwise his wounds will act up_ … “Don’t be foolish, Miroku, close it up!” She called.  
  
“Goraishi!” The clan head exclaimed as he sliced at the shards around him when the miasma cleared up, surprising his fellow wolf demon.  
  
She beamed in relief at hearing his voice and declared, “Koga!” She regarded the cluster of pale snakes coming down from above and looked at the younger priestess when said girl aimed her last arrow down at the priestess below. A yelp came from both archers when various branch limbs from the _hanyou_ struck at their footing, and the she-wolf cried, “ _Kagome!_ ”  
  
“ _Kori!_ ” Koga shouted at seeing both women fall from the ledge.  
  
Boot soles bouncing off the larger chunks of rock, Korihime propelled herself out of the way of the plummeting ledge and landed mere yards away from the wounded Kikyo. She watched in awe as the cluster of spirit collectors ricocheted upward at Naraku with the purified jewel in their grip before he tried to elude them with a smokescreen of miasma. _Come on, come on_ …  
  
“The jewel was defiled!” Kagome gasped, perking her ears.  
  
Korihime bristled and nocked an arrow when Naraku shot a cluster of branch limbs at the priestesses, letting it fly to freeze the limbs before InuYasha ripped through them with Tetsusaiga. “You got the jewel but you won’t devour them too, Naraku!” She snarled.  
  
“Regardless I only have the last shard left to find, and noone will stop me!” Naraku laughed blackly before he disappeared in a smokescreen of miasma.  
  
InuYasha glared after him before perking up when Korihime drew away to drop to her knees at Kikyo’s side. “Kikyo!” He barked as he shortly followed her, stopping when they both sensed that her time was just about spent, beginning, “Kikyo…”  
  
“I can save her, I have to…” Korihime declared as her hands started to glow with lilac, before she looked up when a clawed hand gripped her shoulder, meeting his wide gold eyes as she wondered quietly, “InuYasha?”  
  
“You did enough, Kor.” InuYasha quieted her, catching the tears that started to congregate in her blue eyes, and there was a sad darkening in his stare that caused a remorseful pang in her chest.

__

__

“Wait, Kohaku!” Rin exclaimed as she ran after the boy. Catching his wrist, she added, “you’re not supposed to move!”  
  
Kohaku shook his head, “I have to go, Lady Kikyo is in danger…”  
  
“Don’t go expecting Lord Sesshomaru to bring you along with us!” Jaken barked as he followed the children, and starting to berate the boy when a bare heel stomped on his head.  
  
Rolling her eyes when the imp gave a vain yelp under her foot, Getsu advised patiently, “give it a rest, toad… and Rin’s right about ya runnin' off so recklessly.” She looked between the children with a slight frown.  
  
“Lady Getsu…” Kohaku started before she crouched before him with a look in her eye that he had seen with his own sister.  
  
“Running off like that wouldn’t be smart. If Kikyo really wanted ya there, then she would’ve come and gotten you herself. But, as she didn’t, it’s only right that ya keep your distance, y'know?” Getsu reasoned, adding when he considered her words, “you’re more than welcome to stay with us, Kohaku. You’d make Rin happy if ya stuck around, and between Sesshomaru and me, we’ll keep ya safe until Naraku is destroyed. How's that sound?”  
  
Sesshomaru regarded her kindness towards the boy before looking to the dying sun as he pointed out to her, “the scent in the wind has changed.”  
  
“Does that mean something happened to Lady Kikyo?” Kohaku asked concernedly as four sets of eyes looked at the dog demon.  
  
Getsu’s eyes saddened slightly as she straightened with a sigh. “I thought I sensed a disturbance… it’s too late,” she agreed with her significant other, regarding the sky that seemed to bleed fresh blood.  
  
_Korihime, please be all right_.

__

__

“Look, I don’t mean to sound harsh, InuYasha… _but d'ya think you’re the only one suffering!?_ ”  
  
The two wolf brothers deadpanned as the princess grumbled, “honestly…”  
  
Koga huffed as he crouched at the other's left and reasoned so as to ignore the sense of exasperation from his fellow wolves, “I mean, can ya imagine how hard it is for _me_ to leave _Kagome_ behind…?”  
  
“If you’d **stop worryin** ' about a priestess who’s already taken, ya’d be **less** of a pain in the ass.” Korihime stated patiently after she had moved forward to clock both he and the _hanyou_ on the back of the head with her bow, shrugging it onto her shoulder and planting her hands at her sides.  
  
InuYasha rubbed his new bump with care and grumbled, “try scoldin' just **him** instead of looping me in, next time… that hurt.”  
  
Korihime huffed as she remarked, “well _someone_ had to do it if this idiot can’t shake ya out of your depression.”  
  
At the sombered look that lingered on his boyish face, she added, “look, ya can’t mope around forever, InuYasha! I'm not sayin' that to nag your ears off, either, I’m saying it because of your pack you gotta take care of, namely 'cuz of your woman who obviously loves you and don't like seein' you like this because it's painful for her. So do me a favor and pull yourself together to stand on your own feet, ya understand?”  
  
Gold held blue and, while her words rang true as well as stung, the half-breed nodded in agreement. “I get it… Ya didn’t have to yell so much though,” he replied.  
  
“It’s the only way to get you dog demons to listen, dummy,” the she-wolf reasoned with a wry huff before she offered a helping hand. When he took her hand and stood, she hugged him before stepping back when he gave a squeeze, adding with a wink, “and don’t worry about Koga sniffin' around, I can manage.”  
  
InuYasha smirked slightly as they both heard the named wolf grumbling oaths behind her, ignoring the death glare meant for him as he mused to her, “I get the feelin' that this isn't the last we’ll see of each other.”  
  
“Dunno, maybe not?” Korihime wondered with a shrug before offering him a smirk and then turning to rejoin her fellow wolves.  
  
Koga sniffed at her hair and wrinkled his nose as he groused, “gross, now ya stink like a dog… _ow!_ ” He yelped slightly when she pulled on his ear, making a face and adding, “Kori!”  
  
“Come on mutt-face, you need a break!” Korihime said over his exclamations between steering him away. “’Till next time!” She added to the humans as Ginta and Hakkaku jogged after her leave.

__


	26. A Walk Among the Clouds

She had never felt so nervous.  
  
He’d been brooding and distant since they had added Kohaku to their odd pack, and to add to the change in their path, his mother appeared before them.  
  
She had never met the woman, granted, but it didn’t take a blind man to see where Sesshomaru had gotten his demeanor and silvery white hair from… although, now that she thought about it, he had barely spoken a word about the great general's former wife.  
  
But standing before the woman in her castle in the sky made her feel small again… she didn’t know how the Lady would receive her.  
  
“… surely Father must've told you that Tensaiga can open a path to the underworld,” Sesshomaru’s voice drew her from her thoughts.  
  
The Lady raised a brow. “Your father never spoke of it, actually, but he gave me this Meido stone and said that you would most likely come to me for advice,” she gestured to the sapphire gem she wore that was framed in gold before adding, “oh, and he added that using the Meido stone would endanger you, but that I shouldn’t worry about it.”  
  
_I can **definitely** see the resemblance_… Getsu thought as she deadpanned when the Lady voiced her worry for her only son with heavy sarcasm.  
  
Sesshomaru refrained from rolling his eyes as he groused, “your words are hollow as ever…”  
  
“Very well, I will have you entertain me.” His mother said calmly as a bright light came from the stone she held before a massive maroon hound spirit came out and attacked her guests.  
  
Getsu leapt out of the way and landed nimbly by his mother’s chair as Sesshomaru used Meido Zangetsuha on the beast. “It’s not working?” She wondered with a shocked look.  
  
“So _that’s_ Sesshomaru’s Meido… it’s nowhere near a complete circle.” The Lady mused pensively next to her, earning a look from the younger woman, as she added to her son, “it’s a hound from the underworld, but it appears that your Meido can neither do any harm _or_ good against it, Sesshomaru.”  
  
_A complete circle?_ Getsu wondered before voicing a slight groan when the beast snatched Rin and Kohaku in its jaws. “Overgrown mongrel!” She growled as she leapt for it before watching it fly into the crescent portal to the underworld, landing at his side. “Good going…” she declared before perking up when he took her hand in his and flew after the beast.  
  
“Wait, Sesshomaru!” His mother snapped, causing him to pause, as she added, “you’d follow that beast to the underworld to save a couple of mere human pups? You’ve never been prone to such reckless behavior!”  
  
Sesshomaru huffed, “I try not to make a habit of it, Mother.” He gripped his lover’s hand before they flew into the void together.

“Take Rin and go.” Sesshomaru ordered the boy when a few serpentine demons came down at their odd quartet, being first to leap at the beasts.  
  
Getsu shook her head, “Kohaku, stay here.” She followed him and lashed out at one of the vulture-like beasts with a whip of blue flames, ripping it in half before she burned the other serpent with a blast from her free hand. Her ears perked when a yell of surprise came from the boy below and she turned to snatch him and Rin from falling with the crumbling bits of the bridge.  
  
Sesshomaru seized her hand that hadn’t snatched Kohaku by the scruff and hoisted them onto the safer part of the bridge.  
  
Getsu sighed slightly in relief and scowled at the boy as she chided, “try not to slip next time.”  
  
“R-right, sorry… thank you, Lady Getsu.” Kohaku nodded even as he gulped at her slight temper, carrying Rin on his back as they continued along the bridge.  
  
“Don’t mention it, just stop addressing me so formally. Ya make me sound like my mother…” Getsu replied with a slight shudder.  
  
She didn’t want to know what lay at the end of their path, but she knew her bad feeling towards their stepping into the underworld was only going to get worse.  
  
“Lord Sesshomaru, I don’t think Rin is breathing!” Kohaku informed them what felt like hours later, seeing both wolf and dog demon come to a halt.  
  
_‘Keep Rin safe for me, Getsu… you of all people don't have much difficulty keepin' that promise._ ’  
  
“… you’re sure Rin is dead?” Sesshomaru asked quietly when a pocket of grim silence fell on them.  
  
Kohaku nodded, “I don’t hear her breathing, and I can feel her getting colder by the minute…”  
  
“Set her down, Kohaku.” Getsu instructed in the same quiet tone, turning to stoop at the girl’s side when he obeyed, touching the girl’s forehead and slightly wrinkling her nose as she caught the stink of death begin to assail her senses, starting, “Sesshomaru…”  
  
“Don’t panic.” Sesshomaru quieted her when hearing the anxious octave that her voice changed to, drawing Tensaiga and preparing to strike at the minions of the underworld before he stopped when seeing there were none.  
  
_Where were the minions of the underworld?_  
  
Getsu bristled when a pulse rippled through the air, straightening just as a hulking cloud of blackness surged towards them and seized Rin in its grip before fleeing. “Give back my pup!” She growled before loping after it as fast as her feet could carry her.  
  
Sesshomaru growled an oath before he shortly followed his fiancé and heard Kohaku tail him as they chased the darkness.

Steadily getting to his feet, Koga looked at her as she was preparing to leave and demanded, “what d'ya mean you’re leaving?”  
  
“I know something happened to my sister, I can just feel it. Can't just stand by and keep worryin', can I?” Korihime tucked her bow into her quiver and looked over at him with a smile as she promised, “no matter what happens, I’ll come back to you.”  
  
Blue held blue for a solid minute before he huffed quietly and nodded. “I’ll hold you to that; just make sure neither of ya get yourselves killed,” he returned with a smirk.  
  
She smiled again and nodded back. “Right. Boys, look after him for me!” She added to the wolf brothers as she jogged out of the cave before picking up the pace once she put her new pack behind her.  
  
_Getsu, please be all right!_

Kohaku gave a yelp of fear when the strong winds yanked him forward before he was suddenly yanked back to his companions by the dog demon’s whip, landing on his rear.  
  
“That’s the last time you’ll cause any unnecessary trouble, understand?” Sesshomaru scolded him, receiving a quick and nervous nod, before he looked to his significant other as he added, “stay with him.”  
  
Getsu nodded slightly and watched him leave to deal with the hulking guardian of the underworld, huffing softly when he used Tensaiga to vertically slice the beast in half before snatching Rin from its grip. _He made it look so easy_ … she thought before her ears twitched as she recognized his slaying the guardian didn’t have any effect on Rin’s state.  
  
_Rin… was dead?_  
  
“No…!” Getsu grunted as she fought the oncoming tears and raced to his side, landing nimbly amidst the large pile of corpses, looking at him as he stood there with Rin cradled in his arm. “Sesshomaru?” She asked quietly as she approached him, ignoring the sudden spike in his aura regarding to their loss, touching his left shoulder when she heard a sniff come from him. “Sesshomaru…”  
  
Sesshomaru had a catch in his throat as he said, “this wasn’t worth losing Rin… nothing was worth losing her, Getsu.” His teeth clenched when he felt her head rest against his side and he caught the scent of her tears.  
  
Getsu lifted her head when hearing Tensaiga pulse nearby, sniffling as she caught the bright glow emanating from the heavenly fang, before she perked up when the corpses shifted as if they wished to grab onto the sword. “Tensaiga… Sesshomaru, the corpses,” she whispered in realization.  
  
_They wanted to be purified!_

“Meido Zangetsuha!” A massive eye-shaped Meido void ripped into the air before Sesshomaru, Getsu and Kohaku plus Rin who was carried by the she-wolf came through the void to his mother’s castle.  
  
Jaken sniffled as he said with much emotion, “Lord Sesshomaru, I’m so glad you’re safe!”  
  
The Lady regarded her son’s solemn face and asked, “what’s the matter, Sesshomaru? Tensaiga has matured and your Meido has improved greatly ontop of your returning safely from the underworld. Isn’t that cause for celebration?”  
  
“Did you know that this test would mean sacrificing Rin… _did you, Mother?_ ” Sesshomaru demanded angrily of her as his fiancé who still cradled their pup to her chest sat on the nearby steps.  
  
“If I’m not mistaken, you’ve already used Tensaiga once to revive the girl. Son, you can only bring someone back **just once**. It only makes sense for life is not meant to be limitless and used repeatedly at your convenience. Did you come to think yourself a god, Sesshomaru, so long as Tensaiga was in your hands? You needed to learn only two things: the desire to save a loved one taken by death, and the sorrow and fear that comes with that loss.” His mother stated calmly, catching the surprised look from both younger canines before her, adding, “your father wanted me to tell you that Tensaiga is a sword of healing. It can only be wielded by one who values life and has a compassionate heart, for that is the requirement of those who wish to be worthy of Tensaiga, a sword that can save lives and condemn others.”  
  
“He… _**we**_ had to lose Rin for him to learn this?” Getsu surprised her fiancé when she spoke up, and her _yoki_ slightly spiked with her anger.  
  
The Lady met the younger female’s tightened silver eyes and raised a brow. “You are Getsuei, Lord Kiba’s firstborn, are you not? Surely as his daughter you should know well that sacrifices go hand-in-hand when mastering a skill.” She watched her sniff and drop her gaze to the girl in her arms before asking, “dear girl, what grieves you so? You weep over this child as if she were your own.”  
  
Getsu scowled up at her, her previous anxiety towards her future mother-in-law having fled with her anger.  
  
“Rin was important to the three of us, Sesshomaru, my sister Korihime and myself. He brught her back from the dead when she was killed by wolves, and we’ve all cared for her ever since. Losing my parents was painful, but losing Rin is worse! I… I can’t look my sister in the eye, if Rin is gone,” she explained as cracks caused by her grief made themselves known in her voice.  
  
She looked away when feeling his hand on her shoulder and met his gaze as the grief was mutual, giving another sniff at his urge to comfort her.  
  
His mother regarded the silent exchange between them before she gave a slight sigh as she removed the Meido amulet from her neck. “This is her last chance, do you understand?” She pointed out as she approached the girl.  
  
Sesshomaru and Getsu watched as she lowered the stone to place it over Rin’s heart before it shined, and his ears perked when they both heard her heart begin beating again.  
  
“Rin!” Kohaku smiled in relief when the girl awoke and slightly coughed.  
  
Rin looked up at the dog demon who had calmed her when touching her cheek and she smiled as she greeted, “Lord Sesshomaru, you’re here.”  
  
“You’re all right, Rin.” Sesshomaru didn’t ask and received a nod from their pup.  
  
Getsu looked at his mother and smiled elatedly as she said, “thank you.” She turned to her significant other and whacked the back of his head with a hand as she added, “and _that’s_ for the grief you caused.”  
  
Wincing at her scolding even as he rubbed the spot with care, Sesshomaru's brow twitched as he snapped back, “I didn’t see you hesitate to follow me into this ‘ _grief’!_ ”  
  
“Only because you jumped into it, _half-assed_ , as per friggin' usual!” Getsu barked, planting her hands on her hips as she added, “we almost died because _you_ wanted to get stronger with the Tensaiga! How many times do I gotta drill into your thick skull that I won’t let you face your problems _alone_ , Sesshomaru? You told me ya needed me at your side, and I need you too, ya arrogant mutt.” She gave a _‘humph_ ’ as she looked away from his burning stare.  
  
An awkward and silent pause stepped between them.  
  
Sesshomaru smiled ruefully as her words rang in his ears. “I love you, too, though it would help if you _didn't_ yell in my ear the next time you scold me,” he admitted, seeing her perk up a bit.  
  
Getsu rubbed her neck and looked at him from under her brow as she mused, “I'll try, but I can’t really promise the moon...”  
  
The Lady regarded the moot point both lovers had reached and she huffed softly. “I had my doubts when your father deemed your betrothal, but now I realize that he made a wise choice. This woman has not only proven both her love and loyalty to you through every obstacle you’ve faced, Sesshomaru.” She said, surprising the couple.  
  
“You approve?” Getsu asked first.  
  
“Mother…” Sesshomaru began in likewise surprise.  
  
A small smile formed on her face before she nodded and looked at the younger woman as she added, “I only ask you, Getsuei, to continue keeping my son happy… I don’t believe I’ve ever seen him look that way at anyone.”  
  
Throwing a glance at the mentioned dog demon, Getsu’s face softened and she nodded back as she agreed, “I will.” She would uphold his mother's request for as long as she could stay at his side.


	27. Diatribes

Korihime huffed.  
  
She had reunited with her sister mere days ago and, when she asked if anything had gone amiss in her absence before the couple had reluctantly confessed what had gone on, she now took extra care to keep an eye on the girl.  
  
Granted between the supposed _'responsible_ ' pair, she had clocked him good for being the main party guilty of putting Rin’s life at risk.  
  
Though, she would admit Sesshomaru had turned distant and somewhat irritable again, even with her return, and it didn't take a psychic to know he was moody about the Tensaiga.  
  
Getsu looked up when feeling a shift in the air, catching herself from running into his back as he had stopped, and peering around him to regard the odd child that had appeared as if from thin air.  
  
Both sisters bristled a bit at seeing that the boy didn’t have eyes and they shared a look.  
  
“Do you wish to know the secret of your sword, Lord Sesshomaru, to see what Tensaiga lacks?” The boy asked.  
  
_How is it this brat knows about Tensaiga?_ Korihime wondered with a lifted brow.  
  
Sesshomaru also raised a brow, albeit dubious, as he returned, “you’re honestly going to tell me what Tensaiga is lacking, are you?”  
  
He nodded and replied calmly, “I understand that it troubles you to know Tensaiga’s Meido has not achieved a complete circle.”  
  
“How dare you…?” Jaken started to squawk in outrage before being shushed when Korihime conked him with her bow.  
  
“I suggest you follow me, Lord Sesshomaru.” The boy stated as he turned away to start leading them.  
  
Korihime scoffed and groused, “this whole thing reeks of a trap… Getsu?” She watched her sister shortly follow their alpha who heeded the boy’s advice, and she groaned slightly before jogging after them. 

Looking at the rocky gorge they had followed their guide into, Getsu regarded that Korihime and her instincts had been right. Though truth be told, Sesshomaru wasn’t going into a trap on his own, that much she could ensure… not again at least.  
  
“The child disappeared!” Kohaku said, yanking her from her thoughts.  
  
The odd pack perked up when a glowing violet orb streaked down at them from a high flat above, and it would’ve destroyed them if the three canine demons didn’t take evasive action.  
  
“Getsu!” Korihime barked as she had scrambled onto Ah-Un with the children, watching her sister fall with the chunks of the rocky bridge.  
  
“That little bastard…!” Getsu growled annoyedly as she propelled herself up by bouncing off the rocks, looking up when Sesshomaru released a Meido at their assailant.  
  
“Are you so desperate to learn the secret of Tensaiga that you’d willingly walk into a trap, Sesshomaru?” A male voice called from the vantage point as the older she-wolf reached the bridge and made the couple regard the owner of the voice was an ogre demon with a half-mask protecting his left eye donned in dark clothes.  
  
“Who the hell do ya think you are, creep?” Korihime snapped as she gripped the reins for the dragon.  
  
Sesshomaru scoffed, “it doesn't matter who you are, just tell me how you know about Tensaiga!”  
  
“I know all about Tensaiga, for I fought against it long ago! Although it looked nothing like it does now, nothing at all.” The ogre stated, adding in spite of the sharp look from the dog demon, “when I fought against your esteemed father, Tensaiga was in a different form entirely.”  
  
“ _He_ fought the great general?” Korihime gaped before perking her ears when her sister’s _yoki_ spiked.  
  
A rumble ripped into the intensified air of the gorge as a vicious blast of purple shattered the ogre’s footing and made the rocky flat explode.  
  
“If the great general couldn’t kill him, that just means it's gonna take two of us to do the job in his honor,” Getsu stated annoyedly as she lifted her sword from stabbing the rock, glaring up at their foe while the dust cleared.  
  
“You’d let your beloved wench strike at me instead in order to learn about your sword? That was a mistake to think you could underestimate me!” The ogre exclaimed as he shot another violet orb down at the she-wolf.  
  
“No!” Korihime shouted as she sharply yanked on the reins to have Ah-Un dodge the attack, looking down at where her sister was when a streak of white leapt down to snatch her out of the way.  
  
Sesshomaru landed nimbly on a higher ledge of rock and let her down from being held in his arm’s grip, asking, “are you all right?”  
  
“Yeah, thanks for that…” Getsu nodded before an alarmed look crossed her face as she looked down and added, “Sesshomaru, look!”  
  
“A complete Meido…” Korihime said in shock, having watched the orb turn into a Meido void that was not only a complete circle but had created a crater in the ground.  
  
“I’ll have you know that Meido Zangetsuha was originally **my** technique!” The ogre stated as he dropped to stand opposite the couple, regarding the stony look they simultaneously adopted and adding bitingly, “it was mine before your father took the move **and** my face along as well.” He lowered the mask to show the left side had been cut off.  
  
Sesshomaru bristled as he observed in the same tone, “given all you’ve said, it sounds like you’re whining about your technique being stolen and your face being cut in half.”  
  
The ogre sneered slightly, “only one wielder is needed for the technique, especially since Tensaiga is an incomplete blade!” He sent another void at the dog demon.  
  
Both dog and wolf demon sidestepped the attack before the former snapped, “then what about this technique has you gloating so much for?”  
  
“Still curious even as you approach your death!” He scoffed, watching the dog demon send a void of his own at him, adding coolly, “Sesshomaru, I see your Meido is malformed and unnecessarily large. You’ll never be able to form a complete Meido like I can!” He cast another void from his staff and let it swallow up the bigger void.  
  
_It ate up his void! Now we’re in trouble_ … Korihime thought before she reached for her bow and an arrow and urged the boy, “Kohaku, take the reins.” She nocked the arrow as her aura infused it so it glowed pink before she fired at the ogre. “Sesshomaru, let us handle him!” She declared as her arrow knocked the mask off their foe’s face.  
  
“You'll regret doing that, you mongrel brat!” The ogre growled as he made to swing the staff to send a void at her before a sharp _‘klang_ ’ ripped into the air, scowling at the older wolf demon whose katana blocked his staff.  
  
“Keep your disgusting hands off my sister!” Getsu snapped as she sharply punted him back, swinging Mangetsuga to loose a teal arc of energy at him.  
  
The ogre twirled the staff in his hands and surprised the she-wolf when her attack glanced off his staff. “You foolish wolves don’t know how to die!” He swung at her with the staff only to make her hop back to land near her significant other.  
  
“Sesshomaru!” A familiar voice called, making the odd pack look to the far ledge as said dog demon’s younger brother had come to their aid.  
  
“If that’s really you, then there can be no _mistake!_ ” The ogre huffed before sending a void streaking at the other dog demon.  
  
“Move, InuYasha!” Getsu barked as the odd pack narrowly avoided being hit with the Meido that made a crater in the rock behind them.  
  
“Kohaku keep an eye on Rin,” Korihime instructed before she leapt off of Ah-Un to land where Kagome was as InuYasha lashed out at the ogre demon. “Myoga, who is that creep? He said he battled with the great general years ago…” She asked the flea who had found refuge on the priestess’ shoulder.  
  
“He is Shishinki, the ogre of death! He was defeated by my lord many years ago, and was a fierce opponent to boot! I don’t understand how he’s still alive!” Myoga squeaked as the she-wolf looked back at the christened demon.  
  
“I thought that was Tetsusaiga. I’d heard he had two sons but never imagined it to be true. He left the Tetsusaiga with the younger instead of the older… Sesshomaru, isn’t it odd that your father passed it along to your baby brother instead of you?” Shishinki drawled as he regarded the rage in the dog demon’s eyes, perking up and narrowly dodging a wide blue flamethrower that barreled for him from his blind side.  
  
Sesshomaru scowled back at the one who had shot off the flamethrower and snapped, “this is not your fight, Getsuei…!” He trailed off when she ignored him to zip forward and send several blasts of fire at the ogre, growling under his breath at her impulsive actions.  
  
Shishinki sidestepped the last blast of fire before bringing his staff up to block her sword’s sharp swing, smirking at the cold anger that darkened her silver eyes and drawling, “you truly are a rude wench if you attack a foe you barely know so viciously…”  
  
“Shut your ass for once! I don't give a shit about your problems, but I **do** care that you've got the gall to sully Sesshomaru’s respect for his father!” Getsu snarled annoyedly, her _yoki_ spiking like a growing wave around her as her blade dug into his staff’s shaft, as she added, “it’s a disgrace to his memory that you’re still alive!” She forced him away with a sharp flare of her aura and watched him bounce back.  
  
“I’ve never seen her so pissed…” Korihime mused quietly before a thought came to her and she looked at the flea as she asked, “Myoga, y'know what Shishinki meant when he said the Tensaiga used to look different, don’t you?” She watched a nervous look cross his small face and she reached to take him from Kagome’s shoulder when he tried to run, pinching him between two fingers. “Start talking, blood-sucker.” She ordered patiently.  
  
Myoga squeaked out when she started to flatten him with her fingers, “T-Tensaiga and Tetsusaiga used to be the same sword before Tensaiga was cast away and made into a new sword…!”  
  
“ **What**!?” Kagome, Miroku, Shippo and Sango exclaimed in chorus.

Korihime frowned, “I was afraid of that, but still, Sesshomaru just recently started using the Tensaiga instead of obsessing about the Tetsusaiga…” she trailed off at hearing Shishinki reveal the same ugly truth to the brothers, voicing a growl as Sesshomaru sent a void at him only for it to be swallowed up in the other’s void.  
  
“So Tensaiga was forged because Tetsusaiga didn’t need Meido Zangetsuha!” Getsu declared annoyedly as she had jumped back out of the way to land by InuYasha’s left.  
  
Shishinki huffed, “and if I’m not mistaken, the younger mongrel smells like human, too. Poor Sesshomaru, you'd think your father would leave Tetsusaiga to you instead of your half-breed brother, right?”  
  
“Enough!” Korihime growled as she loosed an arrow at the ogre, grazing his right cheek in the process. “Shut your mouth before I tear it off your disgusting face, Shishinki!” She threatened coldly.  
  
Sesshomaru was yanked from the dark spiral his thoughts were going down when a streak of black flew at the ogre again, and he looked at his fiancé who sent Shishinki on the defense with angered blasts of fire from her clenched fists. “Getsu…”  
  
“You'd do us all a great justice if ya took your disgraceful ass back under whatever rock you were hiding under, Shishinki!” Getsu snarled as she dug her heel into the dry earth below, sending him flying with a vicious flamethrower that rose up from beneath his feet. “It doesn't matter that the Tensaiga and Tetsusaiga used to be one sword! Ya don’t deserve to live under the same heaven as a _daiyokai_ like Sesshomaru…!” She said brazenly.  
  
_I’ve never seen her so angry… she hated seeing me struggle to gain the Tetsusaiga, yet she’s kept quiet about it ever since my arm was taken. You didn't know she would be so loyal, did you, Father?_ Sesshomaru wondered as the dust cleared from her vicious attacks before his ears perked when feeling Shishinki’s aura spike just as a trio of voids tore through the dust to converge on the she-wolf. He spirited forward to snatch her out of the way as they both dodged the voids.  
  
Getsu met his gold eyes and smiled, somewhat winded, pausing at the indiscernible look that had crossed his face. “Sesshomaru?” She began as she stroked his cheek tentatively, watching him relax at her touch yet his gold eyes that burned like the sun made her shiver in his hold before she drew away.  
  
“InuYasha!” Korihime barked, having shot off another glowing arrow before lowering her bow as a Wind Scar streaked past her to hit Shishinki and send him back again. “You’re gonna have to go through me before you try sending my sister to the underworld, Shishinki!” She vowed.  
  
“Have it your way, I’ll send you younger mongrels to the underworld first!” Shishinki had dodged the combined attack before he sent a small volley of voids at the two.  
  
InuYasha snatched the she-wolf out of the way. “I won’t let you hurt my friend!” He snarled as he sent a returning volley of Adamant shards pelting for the voids.  
  
“Lord Sesshomaru, you were not slighted!” Myoga squeaked then, earning a look from the sisters and their alpha as he had come to land on InuYasha’s shoulder, “your father gave you Tensaiga because of who you are! Meido Zangetsuha is a fierce attack that sends its foes to the underworld, and he figured that you were the only one who could use such a powerful move! Your father bet on your strength and believed that you would master Meido Zangetsuha, and…”  
  
“You want me to believe that’s why he cast Tensaiga away from Tetsusaiga, then?” Sesshomaru demanded irritably as he cut him off, earning a confused look from both his brother and the flea vassal.  
  
Shishinki huffed, “good question. But why do you think he didn’t give you Tetsusaiga along with Meido Zangetsuha? He could’ve, I think, if he found you promising enough.” He sent another few voids at the dog demon who lunged at him.  
  
Sesshomaru uppercut his fist in Shishinki’s chin and knocked him on his back, landing nimbly despite having lost the bottom half of his sleeve to a void that would’ve caught his left side, stating coldly, “the secret of Tensaiga isn’t meant to be uttered by a mouth as vile as yours. Everything you say about it brings shame to the sword.”  
  
“Silence, you mongrel! I’ll make you regret striking my face!” Shishinki snarled as he straightened and sent several voids pelting for the dog demon.  
  
“Sesshomaru!” Getsu barked before watching a hail of Adamant shards counter his attack, and she rushed forward to help the brothers.  
  
Korihime shortly followed her sister and they both perked up when seeing Tensaiga react to being so close to Tetsusaiga. “Sesshomaru, draw the Tensaiga!” She called before twirling the bow in hand and sending a jagged rift of ice right at the ogre demon.  
  
_“Dying Wolf’s Blood!_ ” Getsu cried as she sent a wide arc of green screaming at Shishinki, looking at InuYasha when he sent another volley of Adamant before adding to his brother, “you can sulk about it later, just draw the sword, Sesshomaru!”  
  
The both of them were impatient, no matter what… Sesshomaru huffed. “I would never let a pathetic snake like you take my life, Shishinki!” He released a Meido and instantly noted that it was a complete circle that swallowed up the smaller voids plus their master.  
  
“He did it!” Korihime beamed as she and Getsu looked up at the large void that cast them in its shadow before it faded from sight with Shishinki inside.  
  
Getsu regarded the brothers as they spoke and she frowned at catching the pensive frown on her significant other’s brow, exhaling. “This isn’t good,” she mused as she returned her heirloom to its scabbard at her hip.  
  
“But Shishinki lied about the Great General… didn’t he?” Korihime asked quietly as she looked at the siblings.  
  
“I… I dunno. Let’s go.” Getsu shook her head as their alpha took his leave, being first to follow him.


	28. Unlimited Gravity

“Rin eat your fish, it’ll get cold.”  
  
Rin listened to her babysitter and looked over her shoulder at where their leader had gone. “Kori-onee, Lord Sesshomaru is going to be okay, isn’t he? He looked really upset…” she asked.  
  
Korihime glanced over at the trees that separated their clearing from the rest of the forest and exhaled. “Yeah, he’ll be fine, Rin.” She hoped anyway… even if he had been a jerk in the past, she still saw him as a brother, and she didn't enjoy seeing him in this manner.  
  
“He’ll be fine, I think, since Getsu went off to talk with him.” Kohaku agreed thoughtfully from his place between the girl and imp. 

Moonlight winked off the silvery blade she polished.  
  
“I told you before that you don’t have to shoulder things on your own,” she reminded quietly as she regarded that she had gotten the scuffs off of her sword, lowering it and finding the scabbard. “Ya needn’t have listened to that creep, anyway… he was lying. I’m sure he was…” she continued as she returned the heirloom to its black scabbard.  
  
His voice cut her off, “and if he wasn’t?” He listened to the quiet ‘ _clink’_ of wood meeting steel before he looked at her with Shishinki saying what his father had done was cruel ringing in his ears.  
  
Scowling at his lingering doubt, she straightened to step up to him and protest albeit gently, “you’re not actually believing that lie. Sesshomaru, you can’t…”  
  
“And why not? If it makes sense...” Sesshomaru scowled back as she stopped shy of a half-foot.  
  
“Because your father wasn't cruel, Sesshomaru. All I remember was his kindness, he never mistreated you when we were pups… he was proud of you, proud that you were his son and that you would make 'im prouder even after he was gone!” Getsu stated sternly before looking away as she banished the nostalgia away with a huff.  
  
Sesshomaru sat back on the stout boulder he had occupied and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I almost envy your naiveté,” he mused, looking up at her when her fingers traced the twin maroon streaks on his left cheek, his heart giving a slight ache at the empathy in her eyes. He quieted and tugged on her obi to urge she sit on his lap.  
  
Getsu rocked slightly on her knees as she hugged his neck, holding his gaze in hers and affording a wry smile as she reasoned, “it’s not bein' naïve, I just hate seein' you upset.”  
  
“You said I was a _‘great dog demon_ ’ in battle today, even though you're just as powerful… when you're not being impossible,” he mused, squeezing her waist even as he recalled her ferocity in battle.  
  
Getsu felt her cheeks heat up even though she smiled fondly and tilted her head a bit. “I wasn’t lying one bit, though, and I thought ya were used to me coverin' for your ass…” she trailed off when he leaned up a bit to press his lips to hers, hearing him inhale before his grip tightened as he reciprocated, his soft groan making her back arch.  
  
_Your father knew you would be stronger than him, Sesshomaru. Strong enough that you won’t need the Tetsusaiga… I’m sure of it!_

“… _I wonder where he went!_ ”  
  
Jaken snapped irritably, “will you shut up…?”  
  
Rin ignored his tone, “fine, I’ll sing one about you instead!”  
  
Korihime considered conking the imp when catching whiff of a familiar stench, and she wasn’t surprised to see Kohaku had also caught wind of it. “Not now…” she grumbled as she got to her feet, growling slightly when the stench had gotten stronger, her bow in hand.  
  
“What’s the matter, Kohaku… Kori-onee?” Rin asked at seeing the two look off to the rest of the forest.  
  
“Kohaku…” Korihime started.  
  
“It’s been a while, Kohaku.” Both wolf demon and boy froze slightly as the _hanyou_ appeared behind the boy.

_Subtlety goes out the window when he’s angry_ , Getsu thought as she momentarily regarded the chunk his Meido had taken out of the roof of the smithy’s home.  
  
Sesshomaru scowled at the smithy, “well Totosai, you knew about this all along, did you not?”  
  
“Of course I knew, I’m the one who cast Tensaiga away from Tetsusaiga to forge it into a sword… what’re you going to do about it, Sesshomaru? Kill me?” Totosai huffed, slightly perking up when said dog demon started to raise his sword and stalling him, “h-hang on, you ran into Shishinki, didn’t you?”  
  
“I had assumed that snake was lying about the great general favoring one son over the other, but it’d be easier if you explained things to us, Totosai.” Getsu put in patiently and pretended she didn’t earn a look from the dog demon.  
  
Totosai nodded, “you’re not far off in believing that troublemaker lied, Lady Getsuei. But you, Sesshomaru, were able to master Meido Zangetsuha in the end, and your father was correct in believing you would do so. You’ve lived up to his every expectation.”  
  
Sesshomaru glanced at his lover before lowering the sword in hand and giving a slight huff as he asked, “so Totosai, did you expect me to not think about the required last step?”  
  
“The last step, eh?” Totosai echoed as his eyes squinted with a sort of knowing glint.  
  
Getsu looked between the two with some confusion in her silver eyes as she wondered, _did he figure it out before I did?_

Despite hearing the bowstring creak as an arrow was nocked, Naraku smirked, “Kikyo who defended and protected your shard is no longer here, is she Kohaku?” He reached to take the boy’s shard before the arrow flew to stick in his right shoulder and begin freezing him.  
  
“Take Rin and go, Kohaku!” Korihime ordered, looking at the boy before she heard the ice crack and winced when his right arm’s elongated limbs slapped her in the front and knocked her away.  
  
Hearing Rin call her name, she sharply looked up from where she’d been thrown as their foe sent his limbs pelting for the boy’s nape where the shard was. “No!” She shouted before perking up as the limbs made contact before spouts of blue flames erupted along his limbs and encased him in a shield of fire, musing, _Kikyo’s will… it’s defending Kohaku!_  
  
“Run, Kohaku!” Rin barked before her babysitter sharply whistled for the dragon steed and hopped on to then snatch her from the ground, giving a slight yelp as Jaken also scrambled on, looking back at Kohaku with relief when he threw himself onto the dragon’s back.  
  
“Ah-Un, hurry!” Korihime snapped the reins and heard a collective groan from their steed who climbed higher into the air to put further distance between them and Naraku. She took heart in sensing that he was on their tail but wasn't close enough for worry, patting Un's neck and smiling as she said, “thanks, Ah-Un.”  
  
Kohaku looked at their babysitter as he began, “Kori-chan, you didn’t need to do that…”  
  
Korihime huffed, “the hell I didn’t! Getsu and Sesshomaru entrusted me to protect the both of ya while they were gone, and it's not like Sango would forgive me if I let Naraku kill you.”  
  
_Kikyo still wants to protect Kohaku’s shard even from beyond the grave… Naraku won’t let him get away for long, so those two better hurry up and come back._

“… Tensaiga does not have the same ability that Tetsusaiga does. You and I know that Father left Tensaiga for me to perfect Meido Zangetsuha so that Tensaiga could return to Tetsusaiga… that’s the truth.” Sesshomaru stated even as he bristled at the thought.  
  
Getsu looked at him with surprise before glancing down at his heirloom, affording a tiny rueful smile as she mused, _so he figured it out… maybe his nose is sharper than mine, after all._  
  
Totosai was on the same thought train, “so you figured it out, after all! Well, you’re precisely right… are you disappointed?”  
  
Sesshomaru huffed, “I’d be more disappointed if Tetsusaiga could cut me down.” He sincerely doubted that would happen, given how powerful his fiancé was… and how sentimental that _hanyou_ was. “Not like that’ll happen…!” He started to strike at Totosai before the smithy hit the ground with his mallet and cast a circular firewall around them.  
  
_“Oi, Sesshomaru… why do you think your father set the swords up this way in the first place? You really think he favored InuYasha and left you with the short end of the proverbial stick? In any sense, you're too focused on the Tetsusaiga so your thoughts are clouded right now. You’ll never understand your father’s long-term plan!_ ” Totosai’s disembodied voice stated, making the dog demon bristle annoyedly before he watched his lover tap the ground with a foot to dispel the flames. He quieted as the smithy continued, “ _Sesshomaru, abandon these attachments and your hatred for InuYasha! Do that and you’ll surpass your father!_ ”  
  
Still irritable, Sesshomaru returned Tensaiga to its scabbard. “We’re going,” he declared before turning to lead the way back to their camp.  
  
Getsu paused in following him to turn and bow slightly as she chirped, “thanks for your advice, Totosai!” She jogged after his leave to come to his left side.  
  
“If Lord Kiba had done the same to you after he died, what do you think would have been his plan for you and Kori?” Sesshomaru asked when she came to him, stopping to look at her.  
  
“That’s a big _‘if_ ’, for one, and daughters are a different case compared to sons…” Getsu puffed slightly before quieting at the look he gave her, glancing at Tensaiga that hung at his hip.  
  
She sighed slightly and chose her words as she answered, “if Papa had done the same thing, it'd be for me to surpass him and show that I was a _daiyokai_ in my own rights that didn’t live in his shadow. He just told me to look after Kori, only because he knew that I know wolves are stronger in a pack…” she trailed off when noting the pensive look on his face and smiled as she added, “guess that applies to dog demons, too.”  
  
Yet the girls were a better representation of a united pack in stark comparison to he and InuYasha… recalling her confidence the night before, Sesshomaru looked elsewhere and corrected, “ _most_ dog demons, you mean.” He resumed walking.  
  
“Totosai is right, though, about lettin' go.” Getsu declared as she caught up with him again. “Don’t give me that look, y'know that he’s right! Think about it, Sesshomaru… ya let go of all this, get closure with InuYasha and that godsforsaken sword, and you'll be stronger than your father,” she reasoned patiently despite the scowl he adopted at mention of the smithy.  
  
_Stronger than his father_ … Sesshomaru looked away to the skies and extended a hand to her. “And you honestly believe that’s all I need?” He asked as their stares held.  
  
Silver eyes softening as she nodded, Getsu took a step closer to tug on his collar and kiss him, her smile returning when he reciprocated before she drew away a bit and breathed, “yeah. You're still you at the end of the day, with or without those damned heirlooms… the you that I love.”  
  
Taking heart that she still believed in him, even after all they had gone through, Sesshomaru returned the smile albeit wryly. He hooked his arm around her waist and took to the skies.

“…Naraku said that he was going to take Kohaku’s head and then defile the shard after.” Rin said concernedly.  
  
Kohaku snapped a scolding, “Rin!”  
  
“Don’t get after her, she’s only worried about ya, pup,” Korihime defended as she patted the girl’s back, adding when their eyes met, “not unlike your big sister, so don’t go leavin' her in the dark like that.”  
  
“Don’t listen to them, Sister, it’s clear that my shard can cause Naraku pain!” Kohaku stated as he looked at his sister. “I know Lady Kikyo is still protecting me…” he winced when being clocked, albeit with some gentility, on the head by the _hanyou_.  
  
InuYasha scowled before looking between the siblings and agreeing, “Kori's right, so why the hell do we have to keep tiptoein' around him? Just tell 'im flat out that he worries ya when he goes off alone like that, Sango.”  
  
Kagome deadpanned and ordered, “sit boy.” She caught the small smirk from the she-wolf when he crashed to the ground with a yelp. “It wasn’t his fault this time, given Sesshomaru and Getsu left he and Kori-chan alone with the little ones when Naraku attacked.”  
  
“Since when does he agree with me…?” Korihime wondered of the kitsune who hopped onto her shoulder.  
  
Shippo lamented, “I think it started when you talked some sense into him. It doesn’t seem like it, but I think you’ve had an influence on InuYasha for a long time, now.”  
  
“The hell was that for, ya snitch!” InuYasha barked as he had regained himself and snatched the kitsune.  
  
Korihime was the one to subdue the _hanyou_ this time by clocking him with her bow out of habit. “It’s sweet of ya to think so highly of me, but try not to run your mouth around my pup, dummy,” she scolded as Shippo scrambled free to take refuge with Rin.  
  
“So where’d Sesshomaru go anyway, Kori?” Sango asked.  
  
“He’s had the Tensaiga on his mind so he went to see Totosai-san… Getsu went along just to keep his temper from gettin' the best of him,” Korihime answered with a slight sigh as she rubbed her neck.  
  
Of course there was no stopping **either** of them if their tempers got in the way, but that was another story.


	29. Heirlooms

“I don’t like this.”  
  
“You said it yourself that I need closure.”  
  
“Not at the cost of your honor… or your life. We both know that Naraku thinks you’re a fool he can trick into killing InuYasha…”  
  
“I don’t give a rat’s ass what he thinks… this is something that has to be _done_ , Getsuei.” Sesshomaru stopped and caught the wince she tried to hide from his gaze, touching her cheek out of reflex as gold met silver, asking quietly, “you trust me, don't you?”  
  
Giving a soft exhale even though her eyes tightened with concern, Getsu replied in the same tone, “I do, it’s just that I…”  
  
“You won’t lose me… not today.” Sesshomaru assured, watching her eyes soften at his words, and he smirked fondly before lowering his hand and adding, “least of all to InuYasha.” He heard her soft huff as he led her into the clearing.  
  
Snorting derisively as InuYasha tried stretching Jaken like a piece of rubber, Korihime shook her head before conking him with her bow. “You’re not gonna make him taller that way, genius…” she said as he fell forward with the imp squished under him.  
  
“Lord Sesshomaru!” Rin exclaimed then, surprising the imp and she-wolf, as she stood to greet the missing couple who had finally returned.  
  
Getsu blinked once at seeing the odd pack as she mused, “so explains the mixed scents…” She smiled at Rin and returned the hug from her, adding gently, “sorry we were gone so long.”  
  
“I was startin’ to wonder if you two hadn’t gone off to the mountains for a romantic getaway…” Korihime started to joke before catching the spike in their alpha’s aura, frowning as he drew Tensaiga and stopped short of resting his gaze on his brother and wondering _what’s he up to now?_  
  
Regarding the confused look on his sibling's face, Sesshomaru ordered, “draw your sword, InuYasha.”  
  
“ _Onii-san_ , what’re you doing?” Korihime demanded as she began to step forward when a hand caught her arm, and she looked to her sister before adding with surprise, “Getsu…”  
  
“This doesn't concern you, Kori.” Sesshomaru declared, ignoring the confused expression on her pretty face.  
  
InuYasha scowled at him as he guessed, “still hung up on the Tetsusaiga, aren’t you, ya jerk?” He hopped out of the way of a Meido that struck at his feet, dropping the imp who scrambled away from the impending fight. “Fine, have it your way!” He growled as he drew the named heirloom.  
  
Korihime looked at her sister again and asked, “Getsu, what's he attackin' InuYasha for? It’s not because of something Totosai-san said, is it…?” She winced as a bright light came from Tensaiga then, covering her eyes with an arm before lowering it when the light dimmed, slightly gaping at seeing that Sesshomaru wielded a mirror of Tetsusaiga. “Uh-oh.” She looked at his sibling who used a Wind Scar on him only for there to not be any attack.  
  
“InuYasha!” She barked as Sesshomaru used the named attack and made him drop back a yard or so from getting hit.  
  
“What’s going on, Sesshomaru, and why can I smell Naraku’s stink on Tensaiga?” InuYasha demanded angrily, bristling as he had straightened himself and scowling at his brother.  
  
“That would be **my** scent, actually.” Byakuya of the Dreams sang calmly as he appeared above them astride a paper crane, adding with a smirk, “I truly hope you lot don't mind that I gave Lord Sesshomaru a shard of Kanna’s mirror demon.”  
  
Rin balked and looked to the named dog demon, “but why, Lord Sesshomaru? You and Getsu-onee were gone and Naraku attacked us to get Kohaku’s shard! He’s evil, don’t listen to him!”  
  
Getsu stiffened and looked at her sister whose blue eyes had darkened in guilt as she began quietly, “Korihime…”  
  
“Getsu, I’m sorry, I…” Korihime started to apologize.  
  
Byakuya scoffed and said, “everyone's got an opinion today, don't they? Let’s finish this somewhere else, boys.” He pulled a _sake_ flask from his robes and spilled a stream of the wine around the brothers in a circle, watching it fizzle and create a milky dome around them before it lifted the two up in a bubble that looked like the moon.  
  
“Aw damn… InuYasha!” Korihime exclaimed when the moon disappeared before their eyes.  
  
Getsu scowled up at the incarnation as she reminded, “know that I'll tear you to shreds if anything happens to them, Byakuya.”  
  
“I’m afraid we’ll have to see how this goes, milady…” Byakuya winked at her before his visage disappeared when Sango threw her Hiraikotsu at him.  
  
Kohaku frowned and asked at large, “I don’t understand… why would Lord Sesshomaru accept help from Naraku?”  
  
“I think an explanation would help, _Getsu_.” Korihime declared as she rounded on her sister with a scowl.  
  
Getsu rubbed her neck with a slight exhale before explaining to the odd party, “Sesshomaru and I figured this was a last-ditch effort of Naraku's to get him and InuYasha to kill each other. He only went through with it because it's somethin' he has to confirm for himself.”  
  
Korihime growled under her breath before being first to snap, “and ya didn’t think to _stop_ him? You love him more than anything, Getsu, I know ya do! I also know you hate that Naraku played him again…”  
  
“ **I know**!” Getsu silenced her, quieting the clearing as it felt like even the birds stopped chirping, scowling at her sister's disgruntled stare and sighing wearily before finishing in a quieted voice, “I **do** love him, even when he's bein' pigheaded. But he can let go of his hatred for InuYasha, and their father… he can finally get **closure** , Korihime. Who the hell would I be to deny him that?”  
  
Korihime was no fool by any means, nor was she blind to the tears that congregated in her sister's stare, and she nodded before her face softened as she mused, “y'sound like Mum.”  
  
Getsu quieted at the reminder before she sniffed and looked elsewhere for a moment to remark, “yeah but **you** look more like her.” She smiled at the chuckled response from her sister.  
  
While she might sound like their mother, at least as far as Sesshomaru was concerned, they both knew she undoubtedly took after their father.

All eyes looked to the wide Meido void that opened up in the skies and showed them the path to the underworld before InuYasha and Sesshomaru appeared.  
  
“InuYasha!” Kagome said when the named half-breed fell out of the void unconscious, running to his side with Korihime at her heels.  
  
Sesshomaru glanced at the girl and imp who ran to him as he hopped out of the void before looking to his fiancé and the indiscernible look she wore, giving a puff as he started, “before you clock me…”  
  
“You fool!” Getsu cut in, surprising him when she threw herself at him and felt him slightly teeter before he held fast to her waist, stepping back a bit to whack the back of his head with her right hand. “I knew I shoulda stopped you, I…” she trailed off when his arm tightened possessively, looking up at him with surprise.  
  
“Thank you for _not_ stopping me.” Sesshomaru said quietly, smiling for her, watching her shake her head before stroking his cheek with her right hand, adding as more of a thought, “though you could’ve gone without hitting me.”  
  
Getsu laughed softly and traced her thumb along his markings, feeling his arm relax on her waist before she drew away and held his gaze, looking away as they both looked at the smithy who approached them.  
  
“Sesshomaru, are you able to accept what happened?” Totosai asked.  
  
Jaken sniffled, “Lord Sesshomaru, I am sick with grief for Tensaiga being absorbed into Tetsusaiga…”  
  
Korihime patted him on the head before looking to the dog demon and observing, “even if I usually don’t agree with him, Jaken's got a point. Ya willingly let Tensaiga be absorbed back into Tetsusaiga to get both of your asses out of the underworld… that was pretty ballsy, even for you.”  
  
“It doesn’t matter now, does it? We’re going.” Sesshomaru huffed, earning a glance from his significant other, as he started off again.  
  
“Wait a second, Sesshomaru.” Totosai stopped him, continuing when earning a look, “even if it doesn't mean much, you should take the Tensaiga with you. It doesn’t cut, but it still has healing powers.”  
  
Sesshomaru scowled at him. “And what do you expect me to do with it, go around healing people? That’s ridiculous,” he declined before turning away to resume point.  
  
Getsu shook her head before following him as Korihime took the sword from Tototsai, letting Jaken lead Ah-Un with Rin and Kohaku in tow. “Welp even if you're weaponless for the meantime, Kori and I can cover for ya,” she assured lightly.  
  
“You bet! Just don't start actin' like a big-shot; ya should know by now that we can defend ourselves **and** you.” Korihime agreed with a nod and likewise smile in place.  
  
Sesshomaru regarded the determined expression his females sported before he looked ahead with a quiet huff. “You’re both bull-headed enough for it,” he mused aloud.  
  
He didn’t like the idea as much as the next man but, in all honesty, he wouldn’t entrust his life with anyone else… never mind they would beat him into a coma if he so much as argued the notion.

The sisters shared a look.  
  
One ogre laughed, ‘ _I’ve never eaten the flesh of a dog demon before!’_  
  
_‘And once you’re dead we’ll take the last shard of the Shikon Jewel!_ ’ The other ogre agreed.  
  
“Sorry, boys…” Korihime smirked coldly as she readied a glowing arrow.  
  
Getsu leapt for the gray ogre and rammed a fiery foot into its chest as she finished, “but that ain’t happenin'!” She landed nimbly as the lumbering beast became torched with blue fire and fell to the ground. Regarding the maroon ogre that disintegrated when being shot, she looked at her sister and observed, “those are deadlier than your ice arrows.”  
  
Korihime shrugged her bow onto her shoulder and replied with a shrug, “those morons just annoyed me is all. They don't gotta go at Sesshomaru like that just because he doesn’t have a proper sword again…”  
  
“Never mind dumbasses like them could ever be as strong he is, either. Our protectin' the last jewel shard don’t make this any easier, though,” Getsu sighed slightly before offering a brief smile to the mentioned dog demon as she followed his lead.  
  
“That was amazing!” Rin declared as the two she-wolves rejoined them.  
  
“It’s no wonder Lord Sesshomaru doesn’t look the least bit worried. I didn’t think wolf demons could have the powers you two have.” Kohaku agreed.  
  
Korihime smiled and lightly tousled his hair as she said in the same tone, “you’d be surprised if ya saw what our clan could do.”  
  
Getsu briefly looked back at the children and her eyes softened as she looked ahead, musing to him, “I gotta admit our pack certainly is a strange one.”  
  
“Your sentimentality is namely responsible for that.” Sesshomaru remarked as he looked at her, catching the beginning of a pout on her lips and he looked ahead with a smirk, adding to her, “though compassion suits you well.” She showed what he did not feel the need to, he recognized, she was his better half in most aspects.  
  
Of course, she wouldn’t be his bride if otherwise.

The dark aura that clouded the skies made every hair on her body stand on end… it was almost electric.  
  
Something was coming, something she knew in the pit of her stomach was not good in any sense.  
  
Both she-wolves reached for their respective weapons as a bolt of violet lightning shot down from the dark skies to hit the ground a few yards before them, regarding the pale-faced demon before them donned in green with a jagged set of distorted claws for a right arm.  
  
“Another incarnation?” Sesshomaru huffed.  
  
Getsu drew her heirloom and mused, “doubt it, this thing’s stench is fouler than Naraku’s.” _Did that creep enlist another demon to help him get the last shard? What is this creature, and why does it feel… evil?_  
  
Korihime winced when their visitor lashed out at the footing of the children, earning a growl from her as the children scrambled onto Ah-Un and lifted into the air before their visitor whipped the limb up at the dragon only for Sesshomaru to rip it away with his claws. “Leave them be!” She growled out.  
  
“You’re weak, demon.” The stranger smirked cruelly, repeating what he said when the imp squawked an outburst.  
  
_How could he know about Tensaiga…?_ Getsu wondered before slightly perking up when Sesshomaru struck at him and rammed his good arm into the beast’s sternum.  
  
The stranger’s smirk shifted into a smile as he drawled, “now do you realize how weak you are?”  
  
_That was too easy, and why's he not dying…?_ Her ears twitched after a few seconds as she noticed the stranger was trying to absorb him into his chest.  
  
“Sesshomaru, get away!” She barked before several stinger limbs from the beast’s disfigured arm sought to stab the dog demon where he was, sending a sharp blast of green at the stranger as Sesshomaru drew away in time, watching their new foe teeter back on his heels.  
  
“Start talking, bastard! Who the hell're you?” Korihime demanded angrily as she nocked a _yoki_ -infused arrow and trained it on the pale demon while Getsu moved to shield their injured alpha.  
  
“You’re rather strong for a mere she-wolf… I am Magatsuhi,” the christened demon drawled, earning a surprised look from the younger woman and adding, “oh, so you've heard of me!”  
  
“The evil light of the Shikon Jewel…” Getsu murmured before her _yoki_ spiked and she drove him back with a sharp arc of violet, growling, “that explains your vulgar stink.” Naraku truly was desperate if he had summoned the evil half of the jewel… Magatsuhi had come to snuff out Kohaku’s light. “Korihime, keep them safe,” she ordered.  
  
Korihime nodded with hardened eyes, springing up to land on Ah-Un’s back just as Kohaku jumped down. “No, Kohaku!” She snapped as he swung his sickle down on the demon’s head.  
  
“Kohaku!” Getsu barked when Magatsuhi’s limbs ensnared him in their grip and defiled his shard.  
  
Sesshomaru leapt up to set the boy free before his extended right arm was stabbed by more of the limbs.  
  
“ _No!_ ” Korihime hissed as she released her arrow at the limbs that had stabbed his arm, destroying them and letting him drop down to land expertly, before looking at the streak of red that sliced the elongated arm at the elbow. “InuYasha!” She beamed in relief as Kohaku hit the ground and Sango and Kagome ran to his side.  
  
Getsu smiled wryly at his arrival, ears perking when Magatsuhi glared at Kagome and she froze. “Kagome!” She declared as she jogged to her side when the priestess fainted, grumbling as Sango tried to rouse her, “damn him…!”  
  
“What’d you do to Kagome, you bastard?” InuYasha demanded angrily.  
  
“Be careful with this one, InuYasha, that’s Magatsuhi, the evil half of the Shikon Jewel,” Korihime declared as she readied another arrow.  
  
Sesshomaru glared at their enemy as he instructed, “you lot take Kohaku and leave, he’s only a target if he stays… that goes double for you, _baka-hanyou_.” He glanced at his brother.  
  
Regarding the nasty injury dealt to his good arm, InuYasha huffed as he retorted, “like hell, you’re already banged up and you’ll die if ya keep fightin' this freak. Getsu ain't going and **I’m** not leavin', either.”  
  
“You clearly underestimate me, then… I don’t need help from you, half-breed.” Sesshomaru scoffed even as his _yoki_ kicked up enough to where his eyes bled red.  
  
Getsu instinctively quelled the urge he brought out in her lesser half as she and InuYasha sidestepped the extended right arm Magatsuhi shot at Sesshomaru, watching him take to the air as his bones creaked and groaned before he dropped down as his lesser half, sharply inhaling when he snatched Magatsuhi’s head from body and ripped it off with his jaws.  
  
“Shouldn’t ya stop him? You’re as powerful as he is, Getsu, ya can transform, too.” InuYasha asked with a glance at his comrade.  
  
“I can but I ain’t desperate enough to do it… Sesshomaru's got no choice.” Getsu replied quietly.  
  
InuYasha made to argue when miasma spewed out from the decapitated body of Magatsuhi, ordering his friend over his shoulder, “Miroku, take the girls and get out of here!”  
  
Korihime looked at the odd pair before her ears perked when Magatsuhi chuckled from inside the hound’s mouth as his body rose up and the limbs of his right arm shot out to chase the fleeing humans. “Not so fast!” She growled as she loosed her arrow and watched it freeze the extended limb before InuYasha shattered it with a strike from Tetsusaiga, catching the other's gold gaze and nodding firmly.  
  
“Rip my body to shreds all you want, I’m only borrowing it.” Magatsuhi drawled even as the regenerated limbs lashed out and ensnared the great hound around the neck.  
  
InuYasha huffed as he promised, “even if you **are** Magatsuhi, I’m destroyin' you.”  
  
Magatsuhi returned the huff, “fine with me, but I’m taking the **mongrel** with me."  
  
“Sesshomaru!” Korihime barked from above as she regarded the ensnared hound, readying another arrow as she began, “ya sick sunnuva…” She halted at seeing her sister rush forward to start slicing the limbs off him with just her claws, wondering with confusion, _she didn’t transform then…?_  
  
Grabbing four ropes of limbs that had coiled around his throat, Getsu dug her heels in to the thick pelt of her companion and warned, “this's gonna sting a little.” She torched the limbs so no ashes remained, wincing slightly when he tried to throw her off with a growl, clinging to his fur and swinging to pry the head out of his jaws before chucking it to the ground with disgust.  
  
The mighty hound snarled when she dropped to the ground and glowered down at the she-wolf before his large red eyes met her silver gaze. _**Getsu**_ … images of her smiling face came to sit in the fore of his mind, namely of the day they reunited, with snow flurries in her mane of ebony hair.  
  
InuYasha perked up when a bright pink light enveloped the hound and she-wolf before it shrank and disappeared to reveal Sesshomaru standing there with his fiancé held tight.  
  
“You all right?” Getsu asked quietly as she looked up at him.  
  
Sesshomaru nodded and perked up when a surge of limbs sailed at them from the reformed body, shoving her away albeit with gentility just before the limbs caught him again.  
  
Korihime loosed another glowing arrow with a slight grunt as she destroyed the limbs, pointing out stubbornly, “you're not dyin' on us today, Sesshomaru!” Getsu needed him just as he needed her, Rin needed him too… _she_ herself needed him.  
  
“Kori’s right, there’s no way in hell we’re lettin' ya die…” InuYasha agreed as he and Getsu shielded his brother, shooting a glare at Magatsuhi and adding blandly, “even if ya _don't_ want my help, I’ll use Meido Zangetsuha.”  
  
Magatsuhi chuckled as his limbs broke apart and spread around the odd party in a funnel formation, pointing out, “give it a go, then, but you might be careful where you strike… otherwise your comrades will end up going to the underworld.”  
  
Getsu bristled and declared annoyedly, “his makin' this stickier than it already was shows how chummy he is with Naraku.”  
  
“Follow me.” Sesshomaru advised the odd party, earning a surprised look from InuYasha and Getsu, as he charged through the limbs and sliced them to ribbons with his claws.  
  
Korihime loosed two arrows from her bow and struck at the limbs that were in their way, looking down as Getsu, InuYasha and Jaken followed their charge. _I sure hope you know what you're doing, Sesshomaru,_ she thought.  
  
After making sure Magatsuhi’s limbs were in one place ready to be hit, Sesshomaru dropped down before his fiancé and asked, “do you trust me?”  
  
Surprised if for a moment, Getsu sobered with a nod. “Y'know I do…” she stiffened a bit when he kissed her firmly, nearly feeling her knees knock before she steeled herself and began to reciprocate when he drew away, breathing his name, “Sesshomaru?”  
  
“I love you, and I’ll be back.” Sesshomaru said quietly, earnestly, the soft manner on his face falling away as he looked to their comrades and added, “you lot will have to defend yourselves from here on.” He gave her a final look before taking to the skies to meet Magatsuhi in the air.  
  
“Sesshomaru…” Korihime began with a confused frown meant for his odd behavior, watching him draw the Tensaiga as he reached the floating head and sliced at the air behind it. “Holy…!” She gaped in shock at the grimacing ugly face that appeared out of thin air behind the severed head.  
  
“That’s Magatsuhi’s real face… that explains Tensaiga,” Sango mused aloud as Sesshomaru tried hacking at the various limbs that shot out to defend Magatsuhi.  
  
“Watch out!” Korihime barked when one particular limb shot higher than the others before it rammed into his chest. “ _Sesshomaru!_ ” She cried as he was ensnared in a large ball of limbs, stiffening at the rather vicious spike in her sister’s aura below, feeling tears fall as she stammered softly, “G-Getsu…?”  
  
“ **Sesshomaru**!” Getsu roared as blue fire enveloped her in a ball and she sprang into the air to crash head-first into the pile of limbs.  
  
“Damn it…” InuYasha growled before looking to Korihime who threw herself onto Ah-Un, scrambling to join her as they flew up to aid their siblings.  
  
A growl of pain came from Sesshomaru as she yanked the limb out, and he reflexively grabbed onto her yukata when she caught him, looking at her when her fire enveloped the both of them in its safety and starting, “Getsu…”  
  
“Didn’t expect me to let ya die, did you?” Getsu attempted a joke even as tears fell down her cheeks, holding his face in her hands and stating stubbornly as their eyes locked, “you know that if you go, I go with you no matter what, Sesshomaru!” She smiled for him and closed her eyes for a moment when his forehead touched hers, curling her fingers in his hair and opening her eyes as she then returned the question, “you trust me, right?”  
  
Regarding her smile that was forced at first before it softened as the seconds passed, Sesshomaru smiled for her and hugged her waist before answering in a likewise-stubborn tone, “with all I am.” He felt her _yoki_ flare around them and also closed his eyes as his own _yoki_ flared just as wildly while encasing them in a brighter blue light.  
  
Squirming in the limbs, InuYasha looked over at the snarling she-wolf who was just as ensnared as him and barking, “K-Kori…!” He stiffened when a bright blinding blue light erupted from inside the cocoon of limbs, setting the two of them free, as jolts of green and yellow energy streaked across the limbs. “Korihime!” He declared as he scrambled to her side while she coughed and tried to regain the breath in her lungs, helping her up. “C'mon, Kor, say something!” He urged with concern.  
  
Korihime shook her head and looked to him before looking away to the sight before them and gaping, breathing, “Sesshomaru…!”  
  
Sesshomaru stood in mid-air with a mixed light of green and yellow that fluctuated from where his left arm should be and his free arm around Getsu’s waist. They both looked away when seeing Totosai in the distant clouds and he looked at where his left arm was. _This was it then… he wasn’t about to let her die, not today if ever at all!_  
  
He sent a blast of the green and yellow energy flying at the remaining limbs, looking at his left arm to see it was restored with a sword with a white hilt in hand.  
  
“His arm!” Korihime said in shock.  
  
“But how?” InuYasha asked, also gaping.  
  
Totosai called from the sky, “it finally appeared, Sesshomaru, a sword that wasn’t handed down from your father. This is _your_ sword, Bakusaiga!”  
  
“ _’Bakusaiga_ ’…?” Getsu echoed quietly, looking to the new sword with its puzzle markings on the hilt and top half of the blade before looking to its wielder with a grin.  
  
Magatsuhi sneered despite the limbs he had utilized were popping like tomatoes below, commenting, “amusing as this display was, you won’t _really_ kill me as I’m only borrowing the body.”  
  
Having nocked a _yoki_ -infused arrow, Korihime whistled and caught Sesshomaru’s gaze before loosing the arrow to stick in the head’s talking mouth. She lowered the bow as Sesshomaru struck with another blast from his new Bakusaiga as their combined attack destroyed the head.  
  
Getsu scowled when the sky cleared above them as Magatsuhi disappeared like the coward he was, touching ground with Sesshomaru. “Good shot Kori…” she praised, starting to go to her sister’s side when her right foot stumbled. She gave a slight yelp before being caught by a pair of arms, looking to him with a somewhat-sheepish expression.  
  
Sesshomaru smirked wryly and relaxed his hold to hug her waist, musing with a cocked brow, “I thought wolf demons were more graceful.”  
  
“Oh please, like _you’re_ one to talk… overgrown mutt,” Getsu scoffed and scowled up at him even as her cheeks burned, looking away to huff and pretend he didn't chuckle.


	30. prologue III

Looking to the smithy who was occupied fashioning a scabbard for Bakusaiga, he turned his gaze to her as she was looking over at the priestess’ hut where the humans were. “You’re more than welcome to check on them,” he mused, causing her pointed ears to twitch.  
  
She refolded her arms at her chest and looked at him as she assured, “no, Kori was just worried about Kagome and Kohaku. I’m sure they’re fine.” It would be too crowded if she were to go anyway, and she wasn’t exactly glad they were in a human village either… but, for the meantime, she took heart that they were safe.  
  
She wasn’t so comfortable being in a human village again, from what he could see, if the slightest hint of caution she had was any indication.  
  
“Finished!” The smithy declared as he lifted up the new scabbard that was white and ironically matched the sword’s puzzle markings, adding, “a scabbard for Bakusaiga.” He let the sword’s owner take it from his grasp.  
  
Briefly admiring the new sword in its scabbard, the dog demon sheathed it before tucking it at his left hip. He shared a look with his significant other and then started to leave, hearing her shortly follow.  
  
“Hang on, Sesshomaru!” The younger wolf demon declared as she and the girl poked their heads out of the hut and started to follow the couple.  
  
The girl chimed in, “Kohaku hasn’t woken up yet, so if you could please wait a little longer…”  
  
“Kohaku is staying behind.” Sesshomaru interrupted patiently, adding, “so are you, girls.”  
  
“B-but why?” Rin asked confusedly.  
  
Korihime scowled at him as she protested, “I can still fight! You wouldn’t make Getsu stay behind, so I don’t see why you’re barkin' orders at me…”  
  
“ _Kori_.” Sesshomaru snapped, scowling a bit at the disgruntled expression on her face, stating in a curbed tone, “Rin is your responsibility, if you remember. You wouldn’t be doing neither Getsu or I a favor if you tagged along.”  
  
“Sesshomaru…” Getsu murmured as she looked between them, quieting when recognizing that he was doing so because he wanted to protect both Rin **and** Korihime. Her eyes softened and she touched his arm as she requested quietly, “gimme a minute.” She stepped away to address the two.  
  
“Getsu-onee, I want to go with you…” Rin said when the she-wolf crouched before her, slightly perking up when her clawed hand landed on her head of brown hair.  
  
Getsu smiled warmly on her pup. “You’ve gotta be a big girl and keep an eye on Kohaku, Rin. Y'know him better than I do, and 'sides, this is just like old times; we’ll come back for you. Promise,” she assured as she ruffled the girl’s hair in the same manner.  
  
“Please come back soon,” Rin nodded when the other retrieved her hand, latching her arms around the she-wolf’s neck in a hug and closing her eyes tight when being held, smiling at her when being reluctantly let go.  
  
Korihime slightly shook her head when Jaken started blubbering and pleading with Sesshomaru to go with them, looking at her sister as their stares held and sniffing, “you’re only doin' this to have that romantic getaway, y’know.”  
  
Getsu rolled her eyes and remarked, “yeah, yeah... y'know he did this to protect _you_ , too, or as protected as you’re gonna be when ya go off to help InuYasha. Again.” She giggled at the surprised look on her pretty face, reminding with a cheery smile, “you gotta remember that I’m the oldest.”  
  
“Pfheh, and ya don’t resist every chance y’get to remind me about it…” Korihime sulked before looking past her at their alpha and adding, “give ‘em hell.”  
  
The sisters shared a knowing smirk before the older of the two turned to follow her fiancé who had already started walking if only to get the imp off his stole hem.  
  
“Sesshomaru!” The words he wanted to say to her died when InuYasha appeared from out of the hut to see them leaving, and they both paused to glance back at him. Gold eyes regarding what was happening, InuYasha looked at his brother. “You’re going after Magatsuhi,” he didn’t ask and felt like he didn't really have to.  
  
Sesshomaru huffed quietly. “Magatsuhi is now my prey, and I shouldn’t have to explain what that means to you of all people.” He said before continuing to leave, ears twitching when he didn’t hear his fiancé shortly follow.  
  
Getsu looked from Rin and Korihime before her gaze rested on InuYasha. “Keep an eye on my sister,” she requested with a wry smile before turning to catch up with Sesshomaru, taking his offered hand as he rose into the air and indirectly dropped a flailing Jaken in the process.

Feeling the fine hairs stand on end all over, Korihime looked up at the skies as they had suddenly become overcast. She bristled at catching the same stench as before. _He’s here_ , she thought as she broke away from visiting the sacred tree to rush to Kaede’s hut. She paused and looked at the villagers that had stopped to look at the dank aura that cast the sky into shadow and scowled slightly as she looked up at the large horde that were soon to descend on the village.  
  
“There’s so many of them…” she mused aloud before her ears twitched at seeing the monk use his Wind Tunnel on a sleeve of demons that dropped down on where he stood. “Close it up Miroku!” She barked as she had an arrow nocked and raised the bow to send the glowing projectile streaking through the air to rip into the sleeve.  
  
“Kori-chan,” Miroku greeted with some surprise at seeing her present, watching her leap up to meet the descending lesser demons and slash through them with her claws.  
  
“We can handle this, Miroku.” Sango declared as she had come when seeing the horde and looked at the wolf demon who dropped to land nimbly amidst the slain sleeve of demons. She met the other female’s blue gaze before nodding and tossing Hiraikotsu into the air to slay another sleeve.  
  
_The shadow they’ve cast on the village hasn’t gone away…_ Korihime noted before it dawned on her when Miroku left to retreat to Kaede’s hut, and she swore. “Shit… Sango, this is a diversion!” She declared sharply, sprinting after the monk and hearing Sango follow before they skidded to a halt just shy of the hut's doorway to see Kohaku on his feet with a clouded look in his eyes, being first to growl out, “Magatsuhi.”

Briefly sniffing the air, Getsu growled under her breath and groused, “damn it.”  
  
“You smelled it too, then.” Sesshomaru mused as he had also caught the mixed scents.  
  
Getsu huffed and said ruefully, “if I ever get my hands on Byakuya, ya won’t have to use Bakusaiga.” She was concerned about Rin, yes, but she was even moreso worried as they had both caught the scents of Magatsuhi, Korihime and InuYasha mixed together… this wasn’t good.  
  
_Even if he forced out Magatsuhi, jumping from this height will kill him!_ Korihime thought as she followed the boy down the gorge’s steep side, ears perking as she glanced behind she and the _hanyou_ to see limbs shooting down from the dark cloud above to snatch Kohaku.  
  
“Oh no you won’t…!” She growled as she briefly stomped her heel into the rock when her _yoki_ spiked, feeling it quiver before jagged slabs of ice shot out to cut the limbs off from reaching their prey save one tentacle that escaped her grasp to latch onto the boy’s leg.  
  
“Sister, cut the tentacle!” Kohaku called before he was freed when her Hiraikotsu ripped the tentacle off and let him drop onto the ledge.  
  
“Naraku’s in the cloud, I can smell him from here… ready when you are!” Korihime declared as she readied a _yoki_ -infused arrow and aimed it at the darkened sky when she and InuYasha stopped to regard the obvious covering.  
  
InuYasha smirked wryly and huffed, “I couldn’t agree more!” He let her loose the arrow before firing off a Meido void that shortly chased the projectile and watched the limbs be sent on a one-way to the underworld.  
  
_The sky cleared up, but his stench is still all over the place_ … Korihime bristled as she glanced around the gorge, calling to the priestess, “he’s still here!”  
  
“You’re kidding…” InuYasha started to say before a large green limb shot out from the opposing wall of the gorge to hit his footing, and he groaned, “c'mon!” He grabbed her vambrance-covered wrist and raced up the wall, complaining, “ya could’ve said so sooner!”  
  
“Don't blame my nose for bein' sharper than _yours…!_ ” Korihime barked annoyedly before yelping when several limbs popped out from the rock to give chase and she looked away at recognizing the familiar _yoki_ that was coming fast from the sky.  
  
A rumbling sounded before geysers of blue fire shot out to torch the limbs that chased the younger canines, causing both skidded to a halt as the limbs were burned so not even their ashes remained.  
  
“I’ll remember to say _‘I told you so_ ’ when this night is over,” Getsu sang when they looked to her standing on the other side of the gorge with a toothy smirk.  
  
Korihime barked a laugh of relief as she remarked, “do me a favor and don’t!”  
  
A howl of pain came from the visage of Magatsuhi as his face was sliced diagonally from behind, earning everyone’s attention, as Sesshomaru stood there with Tensaiga on hand.  
  
“I think your sister has been traveling with Sesshomaru for too long…” InuYasha muttered, watching a few long limbs shoot out at his sibling before they were cut down with Bakusaiga, regarding the limbs that hadn't been burned by Getsu burst like tomatoes where they were, observing, “looks like a body that’s cut by Bakusaiga can’t be used again… I’ll be damned.”  
  
“It ends here, Magatsuhi. You had Byakuya of the Dreams lure me away with a piece of flesh that I cut, therein avoiding me… I realized that you must be terrified of Tensaiga.” Sesshomaru stated with a huff, glaring at the disembodied face.  
  
‘ **If you could kill me with Tensaiga, why didn’t you do it already**?’ Magatsuhi drawled with a sneer.  
  
“It’s not that I _couldn’t_ destroy you then, rather I chose _not_ to.” Sesshomaru returned even as the face twisted into a snarl of anger, spiriting to block him from escaping again. “I wanted you to see my face so you’d know I was the one who killed you!” He lashed out with Tensaiga and cut the face in half down the middle.  
  
Getsu huffed as Magatsuhi’s voice vowed vengeance before it faded from the night air, musing grimly, _that bad feeling is back again_.  
  
“We’re not out of the woods yet, you two; Magatsuhi attacked the village and poisoned Rin and Miroku!” Korihime said, surprising the couple.  
  
“Stay here.” Sesshomaru declared despite the hardened light in his eyes at mention of Rin, ducking to lift Getsu up when she hopped up to meet him, flying off to the village.  
  
Getsu looked up at him as she said, “my bad feeling about Magatsuhi has gotten worse.”  
  
“Then we agree that he’s not truly dead.” Sesshomaru mused grimly, seeing her nod.


	31. Heroes I

“So it was Magatsuhi who is responsible for taking her…” Kaede deduced.  
  
Shippo scowled at the imp as he chimed in, “how could you let that happen to her, Jaken! You were supposed to protect Rin!”  
  
Jaken looked flustered and oddly pale as he began to wonder how much time he had left before his master found out.  
  
“So Magatsuhi survived like we assumed.” Sesshomaru said pensively as they appeared behind the imp, acknowledging that said toad froze up like a statue in his shadow.  
  
Stomping her bare heel on his bald head and squishing his face into the ground, Getsu lamented, “figures we can’t trust _Jaken_ to take care of a pup… his pupsitting services _definitely_ won’t be needed in the future.”  
  
“You both knew he survived, didn’t you, Sesshomaru?” Miroku asked as he regarded the couple.  
  
“’S not like it was much of a mystery… h-hey!” Getsu started to explain before involuntarily yelping when Sesshomaru dragged her along as he took to the sky again, starting to scold him, “Sesshomaru…”  
  
“It’s useless to explain if the truth is already in the open.” Sesshomaru reasoned, glancing at her when her flustered expression sobered.  
  
Getsu heeded his words and nodded as a breeze caught in her hair, musing wryly, “y'know that I know you, too well by this point, at least to know ya realize we’re gonna need help in this battle.”  
  
Having bristled a bit as she reminded him of a certain _hanyou_ , Sesshomaru squeezed her waist and remarked in the same tone, “as much as _you_ know that that’s irrelevant… we fought him together before, we can do it again. _You_ are the only ally I need at my side.”  
  
Which was ironic, given the sort of battle they were charging into, but he felt more alive when she was with him.  
  
“Ya go on about your brother, but you’re just as dense, too,” Getsu chuckled, ignoring his slight scowl as she then added on a thoughtful note, “but I’m glad for it.” 

Korihime glanced back at the way they had come. “It was smart to leave Kohaku behind considerin' he’s been given a second chance, but Shippo’s not the same kit he was when all this started,” she mused to her friends.  
  
“Don’t try arguin' it, Kor, y’know you woulda done the same.” InuYasha retorted with a huff. Minding that she quieted at the truth of his words, he added calmly, “’s better _you’re_ here anyway, least since Kagome’s power is still sealed.”  
  
Kagome raised a brow at his back and observed, “sounds like you actually _like_ having Kori-chan around, after all…”  
  
Pretending both archers didn't share a knowing smile, InuYasha's ears flicked before he defended, “k-keh _no,_ it’s only because she’s a strong wolf demon, _that’s_ why! Stronger than that scrawny wolf boy, at least.”  
  
“If you'd be _less_ grouchy you'd get questioned less, InuYasha,” Korihime chuckled as she heard him scoff from her seat on Kirara with Sango and Miroku. Her ears twitched as they were approaching the proverbial eye in the clouds, and she grimaced at their enemy who had taken the form of a massive black spider with red eyes, grumbling under her breath, “why a spider of all creatures…?”  
  
Getsu growled under her breath at seeing the massive arachnid from her place astride a snake demon, having moved out of Bakusaiga's path moments ago, grousing, “now I _really_ hate spiders.” They hadn’t been her most favorite creepy-crawler growing up…  
  
“That new sword really is something, isn’t it?”  
  
Both canines looked to the effeminate incarnation who hovered above them astride another snake demon, and he added, “if a demon is killed with Bakusaiga and it is reabsorbed back into the main body, then that dies with it… Naraku won’t be able to withstand a strike from that deadly sword even in his new form, so by all means swing away. Or are you preoccupied with your little ward? She’s safe for now, in Naraku’s body.” He smirked at earning two matching stony looks from the couple.  
  
“You’re about as much of an irritating weasel as Naraku.” Getsu mused before watching the massive spider eject webbing that poisoned any and all of the lesser demons that circled it, her ears twitching when she caught her sister’s scent coming.  
  
“It figures Sesshomaru got here first.” Korihime mused aloud as their odd party came with the new sleeve, smiling wryly when catching her sister’s eye.  
  
Byakuya huffed, “well look who’s here.”  
  
Getsu raised a brow when the spider reared slightly to open its large mouth as the long demon that InuYasha and Kagome had ridden was destroyed with the webbing, and her face paled at the blatant invitation. “There’s no way in hell…” she gave a yelp when her significant other retrieved her from the snake demon’s back, ignoring her disgust, as they flew after the odd party. “S-Sesshomaru…!” She exclaimed.


	32. Heroes II

Ears twitching when he heard her foot tapping on the floor, Sesshomaru cocked a brow as he looked away from slicing the menial demons to regard the impatient look on her face.  
  
“You’re not doin' me any justice by making me save my energy.” Getsu said dryly, shrugging past him as more of the small vermin came out from the walls.  
  
Right hand lighting up with blue flames, she then slapped her palm to the fleshy wall as her _yoki_ gave a brief spike, and they both heard the multiple groans of anguish that came from the menial demons in the walls she had burned.  
  
“ _Now_ who’s being a big-shot…?” Sesshomaru scoffed at her cheery smirk, folding his arms at his chest before being first to regard the priestess that roused behind them.  
  
Kagome blinked once and then again at recognizing the couple as she wondered with some confusion, “Sesshomaru?”  
  
Getsu smiled elatedly at her being conscious, withdrawing a roll of bandages from her yukata’s confines and approaching the girl to crouch at her side. “Glad you're awake, now just hold still for a sec,” she instructed as she started dressing the wound on the girl’s right arm.  
  
“You've both been keeping the demons away, haven't you, Getsu?” Kagome asked as she heeded her instructions and watched her patch her up.  
  
Sesshomaru cut in before his fiancé could answer, “that wound was InuYasha’s doing, then.” He regarded the priestess' cobalt gaze that dropped to her scuffed shoes, huffing under his breath and adding as more of a thought, “it’s only logical to assume that his human heart was overcome by Naraku’s darkness.”  
  
“But he didn’t…” Kagome paused as she thought of her significant other and her frown deepened.  
  
“Welp, Kori had it right… a love-tap will prolly knock some sense into his thick skull.” Getsu wryly lamented, straightening and tucking the remaining bandages back into the kit, adding to the girl, “c'mon, it’s safer that you tag along with us.”  
  
Kagome nodded and kept to her side as they followed the dog demon who started to leave.  
  
Sesshomaru pinched the bridge of his nose when neither female was looking, as he didn’t enjoy being a pupsitter to the priestess… even though Getsu was right.  
  
Their walk was generally quiet, despite the sensation of walking deeper into a possible trap, for what felt like an hour.  
  
“Sesshomaru, since your nose is as sharp as InuYasha’s… wouldn’t that make it easier for you to find Rin?” Kagome dared to ask, finding with no surprise that the older dog demon remained silent, giving a slight exhale before looking to his counterpart and asking, “what about you, Getsu?”  
  
Getsu shook her head before explaining with some thought, “it _would_ be ten times easier if either of us used our noses, but considerin' Naraku and his bad habit of trickery, I wouldn’t be surprised if he created an illusion that affects a sharp nose… Kori's undoubtedly thinkin’ same.”  
  
“Well that’s true… Kori-chan felt awful about letting Rin be abducted again, and even if she didn’t say it, I could tell she was worried.” Kagome mused, catching the slight frown on the wolf demon’s brow and adding if only to cheer her up, “but I’m sure they're both fine!”  
  
“My sister's plenty capable of defendin' herself, I don't doubt that…” Getsu chuckled slightly before sparing a look at her fiancé and adding in a sing-song tone, “a fact a certain _nameless mutt_ needs to keep in mind.”  
  
Feeling his brow twitch at her poking, Sesshomaru ignored the collective look from both women and retorted in his defense, “you made your point rather well when she scampered off to help Koga.”  
  
“Then don't act so defensive for once, _dearest_.” Getsu advised as she rolled her eyes.  
  
“So stop being bratty, _for once_ , darling.” Sesshomaru drawled coolly before scowling ahead and pretending she didn’t blow a raspberry behind him.  
  
Kagome slightly shook her head even though she felt more at ease recognizing that Getsu, like her, dealt with a stubborn jerk of a boyfriend on a daily basis.

Rin gave a fearful yelp as she backed away from the snarling half-demon who got closer, realizing, “y-you’re not InuYasha…”  
  
A snarl sounded before a streak of blue hurtled into the _hanyou_ and both rolled to the side, surprising the girl. Dropping back to shield her pup, Korihime growled, “you’re a real dumbass if ya think I’m lettin' you hurt her.”  
  
“Kori-onee!” Rin said in relief at her babysitter's arrival, perking up when the transformed _hanyou_ lunged for her.  
  
“Stay there, Rin. I can smell Sesshomaru comin', so just wait, yeah?” Korihime ordered before meeting him with a solid kick to his chin that drove him away, flexing her claws as she glanced back at her pup.  
  
Rin nodded despite the worried look on her face as she urged, “please be careful, Kori-onee!”  
  
InuYasha growled as he had picked himself up before he turned from the she-wolf to slash at Magatsuhi with just his claws, missing as the disembodied face laughed blackly at his efforts.  
  
“ _No!”_ Korihime exclaimed when Magatsuhi possessed him. Flashing her fangs in anger with the spirit, she ordered, “get outta my friend!” She grimaced when the _hanyou_ smiled cruelly at her.  
  
“ **You want him that much, do you**?” Magatsuhi’s voice asked before InuYasha flew for her with a snarl.  
  
Korihime hopped out of the way when he attempted to pin her, twisting to deliver a sharp kick to his belly and send him bouncing away. She rushed him with a growl of her own before his left heel shot out to connect with her chest and knock the wind out of her.  
  
“Kori-onee!” Rin cried when the she-wolf was sent flying and hit the floor in a heap.  
  
Korihime wheezed and shook her head as she tried to get the wind back in her lungs, looking up past locks of blue that had gotten in her face to see InuYasha sprang into the air to soon collide with her, breathing, “InuYasha…”  
  
“ _Get away from her_.” A growl sounded before a streak of white sharply punted the _hanyou_ away, and Sesshomaru briefly glared at his sibling before turning to her. “Are you hurt?” He asked when she straightened.  
  
“Not much… thanks for that.” Korihime coughed slightly and smiled up at him.  
  
“Rin!” Getsu declared as she and Kagome had let Sesshomaru rush into the skirmish, smiling when the girl beamed at seeing her present.  
  
Rin started to jog to safety with the two women before yelping when something caught on her heel, and she looked down to see the floor was swallowing her up. “G-Getsu-onee!” She cried as said she-wolf sprinted to her aid at seeing what was happening.  
  
Getsu slid onto the floor and narrowly missed snatching Rin from being swallowed, and she gave a frustrated growl at her ill timing before scrambling to her feet. “Dammit,” she muttered as Korihime regrouped with her and Kagome.  
  
“You chose the wrong person to possess, Magatsuhi.” Sesshomaru stated as he faced the possessed _hanyou_ , drawing Tensaiga from its scabbard as InuYasha drew Tetsusaiga. “I’ll slay you and InuYasha as well!”  
  
Magatsuhi sneered before the blade turned black. “ **Meido Zangetsuha**!” He cried as he shot off a wide void.  
  
“InuYasha!” Kagome exclaimed before being shielded by Getsu as a pink domed barrier came to life around them, perking up to see Sesshomaru had dodged the attack at the last second and wondering, “he missed?”  
  
Korihime scowled at the brothers and reminded, “he avoided strikin' Sesshomaru because of Tetsusaiga… it keeps his other side on a leash, remember?”  
  
“So long as he doesn’t let go of Tetsusaiga he’ll keep missing.” Getsu agreed, eyes tight, as the brothers collided again only for Tetsusaiga to be punted out of its master’s grip, and she slapped her forehead to then groan, “Sesshomaru!” She was going to clock him good when this was all over!  
  
Glancing back at the girls when hearing the disappointed tone in his fiancé’s voice, Sesshomaru instructed, “Kori, keep the barrier up until this is over.” His ears perked as the possessed InuYasha flew at him before he reacted on instinct and sent his brother flying with a well-placed punch to the face.  
  
“I can’t tell who’s more pig-headed…” Korihime groaned as the brothers resorted to brute force, looking over her shoulder at feeling someone slip through the barrier and seeing Kagome was responsible. “Damn it, Kagome!” She hissed as the priestess had left them to grab the rusty sword stuck in the high wall yards away.  
  
Getsu regarded the brothers as they rose onto a higher ledge and huffed. “C'mon, we gotta do something,” she said before following the priestess.  
  
Sesshomaru huffed as he noted, “you’re tougher now that you’re completely transformed.”  
  
“ **Showing no remorse towards your own brother… you really must hate InuYasha**.” Magatsuhi drawled as he met the dog demon’s glare with a smirk.  
  
Korihime glared up at the brothers on their ledge as Sesshomaru drew Tensaiga instead of Bakusaiga, huffing quietly as she mused, _he didn’t draw Bakusaiga because somewhere in his heart he wants to save his brother, Magatsuhi… or don’t you realize that?_  
  
“Don’t give in, InuYasha, I’m bringing Tetsusaiga to you!” Kagome called from her place holding onto the named sword that had saved her from falling.  
  
Magatsuhi scoffed, “ **foolish girl, don’t you see that I now possess every corner of InuYasha’s heart**!”  
  
“Not _every_ corner!” Getsu growled as she had drawn Mangetsuga, having found footing on a bridge only a leap away from the one Sesshomaru occupied, gripping the hilt in both hands and adding bitingly, “InuYasha may be an ignorant mutt but he's nuts about Kagome, no matter what… that’s enough reason for ya to start worryin' about your reach, Magatsuhi!”  
  
Sesshomaru perked up when noticing her body tense for a spring and he snapped, “Getsu, don’t!” He knew she loathed Magatsuhi for almost killing him, for trying to take him away from her, but she couldn’t strike now… never mind that she refused to hurt either he or InuYasha.  
  
“ **You damned wolf, you hate me for trying to kill the mongrel you love enough that you’d cut down his brother in the process of expelling me? You’re more of a witch than you let on**!” Magatsuhi sneered up at the wolf demon who bared her teeth in anger at his words. The next words he sought to say halted when InuYasha caught whiff of the priestess’ blood coming from the wound on her arm.  
  
“Her wound reopened…” Korihime mused as she and her companions had also smelled her blood, looking up at the girl whose grip was starting to slip. “Kagome!” She barked before looking at InuYasha who punched himself to snap out of the trance, grinning and saying, "he did it!"  
  
“Kagome, throw me Tetsusaiga!” InuYasha exclaimed between punches, extending his hand up as the sword fell to land in his grip, feeling its power surge through him before he shot off a blast of wind in one direction.  
  
Getsu shook her head at the sense of déjà vu, sheathing Mangetsuga before she dropped after her and snatched her left hand in time. “Hang on!” She ordered when Kagome gripped her wrist tight, using her free hand to send a burst of blue at the wall on her right side to propel herself away and give her a chance to pull the girl to her.  
  
Kagome started to thank the she-wolf before wincing when they were propelled away from the left-hand wall by two bursts of fire from the other’s soles, looking up as they were flying to where their companions were just as Sesshomaru sliced through an ensnared Magatsuhi’s face. “We did it!” She said in relief.  
  
Korihime winced slightly when tremors began to ripple as Magatsuhi finally disappeared from sight, looking around them. “Naraku took a decent beating when you slew Magatsuhi,” she said to the brothers before looking to the missing women and beaming as she greeted, “glad you're both okay.”  
  
“Kagome,” InuYasha said as he hopped over to stop shy of the priestess and she-wolf, slightly perking up when sensing that Kagome’s power had returned to her as it purified him in the process.  
  
Getsu smiled at the reunited couple after stepping away to give them a moment, looking to her sister who stood nearby and observing, “y'know this is only the beginning.”  
  
“Unfortunately… but Magatsuhi's gone now, so Naraku won’t be as tough to cut down.” Korihime agreed with a nod as another tremor rippled through their footing, musing aloud, "he don't got much collateral against us now, and it's not like he's gonna live when we get ahold of him."  
  
Sesshomaru regarded his brother and the priestess and wrinkled his nose before looking to his significant other who chuckled at his expression, giving a huff on habit before taking her hand in his.  
  
“Thank you for helping, Sesshomaru…” Kagome started to thank him when seeing he and Getsu had already taken off again.  
  
Korihime sighed and offered when the priestess started to ask, “he prolly still thinks I need to help ya, otherwise he would’ve dragged me along… typical.”  
  
Getsu glanced over her shoulder at where they had left their siblings and the priestess before shaking her head with an exhale as she chided, “wasn't _that_ rude.”  
  
“If you disagree with having Kori stay with them _now,_ of all times, you should make up your mind.” Sesshomaru defended as he ignored the exasperation in her voice.  
  
“No, it’s a brilliant idea, but ya still won’t admit that you care about your little brother… ya trust he won't let her get killed, at least.” Getsu explained patiently, smirking fondly when he gave a _‘humph_ ’ at her correct words.  
  
“You’re **both** too soft on him.” Sesshomaru grumbled as he stared ahead.  
  
Getsu smiled and chuckled quietly as she echoed, “ _’sentimentality_ ’ as you once put it.”  
  
A pocket of silence fell on them before Sesshomaru quietly said, “it’s safe to believe you think about our future, too.”  
  
Ears twitching even though her cheeks colored at that, Getsu said, “a bit of a lot, lately… though that's namely because you're less of an ass than when we met again.”  
  
“Evidently having you with me is what caused that.” Sesshomaru mused dryly, perking her ears.  
  
Regarding the reddened hue in his ears, Getsu smiled fondly and took heart that he didn't complain about it as he would've probably done when they were younger. She squeezed his hand on her waist.

“It’s only fitting that the demon slayer Sango slays herself…” Byakuya declared before sidestepping the vicious blast of blue flames that would’ve torched him on the spot, regarding the two canines as he added, “I’d hope that wasn’t meant for _me_ , dear Getsu.”  
  
He ducked the Hiraikotsu that was chucked at him from her significant other. “And Lord Sesshomaru, judging by your stony silence I imagine you two were eavesdropping. I’ll leave you lot to settle things,” he said as the wall made a way for him to flee.  
  
Getsu flexed her claws as the incarnation fled and she huffed, looking at Sango who had a guilty light darkening her eyes as she looked at them, and a frown began to form. _She would’ve slain Rin in the process of killing Naraku, if that had been the real thing, only to save Miroku from his curse… Sango_ , she thought.  
  
“Sister…” Kohaku balked at his sibling’s sense of guilt, yanking the she-wolf from her thoughts, as he looked between his sister and the silent Sesshomaru.  
  
Sango’s eyes had hardened in resolve and she looked up at the dog demon as she stated, “once I defeat Naraku and save the monk’s life, you can kill me, then.”  
  
“What would that _solve_ , Sango?” Getsu demanded, surprising the other woman, bristling slightly as she stated brazenly, “lettin' yourself die won’t solve a damned thing and ya know it! What about Kohaku, and Miroku… you mean the world to them both! Ya’d be a fool to die before you get the chance to live.”  
  
She had also wanted death, to erase the shame of forsaking her father, so she knew what Sango was feeling all too well… she’d be damned before she let a friend die for likewise shame!  
  
“G-Getsu…” Sango said in a measure of shock at the wolf demon’s kindness, looking from her to the dog demon to find with further surprise that he was looking at his fiancé and seemed to reconsider things, before looking up as a bright light broke through the proverbial ceiling to shine on them.  
  
Getsu perked her ears as she and Sesshomaru caught the same scent from where the light was coming from, and she smiled ruefully as she mused, “at last.”  
  
“Hurry.” Sesshomaru nodded to the siblings before squeezing the she-wolf’s waist in his hand and they flew at the light at top speed. “You understood her pain,” he mused as he looked at her.  
  
“I didn’t want her to throw her life away for somethin' dumb… Sango didn’t mean to hurt Rin but, at the same time, she loves Miroku enough to risk everything for his sake.” Getsu nodded even as a small smile fell on her lips as she recognized _that_ feeling even moreso.  
  
Sesshomaru smiled wryly as he observed, “that sounds familiar.”  
  
“You’re not going to kill her, then… right?” Getsu asked suddenly, looking at him.  
  
Silver held onto gold before Sesshomaru exhaled as he answered pensively, “not since your little speech convinced me otherwise.”  
  
Getsu grinned and she nodded, looking forward as she announced, “when this is over, I want to go with you to the west.”  
  
“We can go wherever we please when this is over, Getsu…” Sesshomaru reminded despite his surprise at her declaration.  
  
It was true that he missed his home in the west but, with her at his side, it didn’t matter where he went so long as they were together.  
  
Getsu huffed as she returned, “I know, but it’s only fair that we return to where we first met, isn’t it? Your home is there…”  
  
“My home is wherever _you_ are.” Sesshomaru cut in with purpose.  
  
“Sesshomaru…” Getsu murmured before she sobered and chuckled as she said softly, “took the words right outta my mouth.”


	33. Heroes III

Landing on a part of the floor that wasn’t trembling so much, she nocked an icy arrow and let it fly to freeze the bust that their enemy had been whittled down to thanks to the other _hanyou_ ’s Meido blades.  
  
_Freezing his mouth is all I can do, at least until InuYasha returns_ … the she-wolf started to nock another arrow when a plume of miasma spewed out from part of the wall at her left, and she covered her mouth with a hand. _If he’s getting this desperate then that means he’ll soon be destroyed, he’s prolonging his existence! He's a serious pain in the ass_...  
  
Part of the floor yards away burst from beneath as InuYasha and Kagome emerged, much to her relief.  
  
“Kori-chan, you’re all right!” Kagome said elatedly.  
  
Korihime nodded and observed, “Naraku ain’t, though. His body’s crumbling around him, which means Sesshomaru used Bakusaiga.”  
  
“That explains the rumbling… your body is falling apart, Naraku!” InuYasha declared.  
  
Naraku scoffed, “as I said earlier, whether I’m destroyed or not, the Shikon Jewel is always going to be part of this world.”  
  
Korihime readied the arrow she hadn’t used before as she promised, “regardless, Naraku, you're not livin' past today!” She wasn’t going to kill him just yet… that victory belonged to Getsu and Sesshomaru, too, not just her. Naraku had crossed the three of them, so it was by all three of their combined powers that he was going to be destroyed!  
  
Naraku sneered at her threat, “if that’s the case, then why don’t you shoot? You failed your beloved Koga when I took his shards, you’ve hated me for putting your pack in danger since we first met… your sister will understand if you beat her to the punch…”  
  
“Shut your ass!” Korihime cut in bitingly, bristling as she gripped the bow and continued, “ya gotta remember it wasn’t just me you pissed off, but my sister, and Sesshomaru… the three of us are stronger as a pack, and it’s because of that that we’re gonna cut ya down, **together**!”  
  
Byakuya suddenly appearing from out of thin air drew her attention away, and he surprised the odd trio when he sliced at Kagome from behind with a drawn sword that resembled a black Tetsusaiga. “No!” Korihime growled as she fired the now-glowing arrow at the incarnation's chest while the priestess slumped to her knees in shock.  
  
Byakuya looked from the _hanyou_ and priestess to the angered she-wolf as he was being destroyed by the deadly arrow. “I am an incarnation of Naraku and die when he dies, but I’ve done my job,” he stated before closing his eyes as his body was consumed in a bright pink light.  
  
InuYasha looked at the she-wolf before looking to his significant other who, surprisingly, didn’t have so much as a scratch on her back. “He used Meido Zangetsuha… but why?” He wondered aloud before looking at the floor that quivered beneath them, urging the girl, “Kagome, get on!”  
  
Korihime jumped away when the floor gave way again, bouncing off the wall just as a violet miasma glob flew at her blind side and missed when she kicked away. “You’re one desperate bastard!” She huffed as several more globs spun around the large room like a tornado, perking up when one particular glob pelted right for Kagome and InuYasha.  
  
She started to ready an arrow when a familiar weapon streaked through the air to rip the glob apart and prevent it from striking her friends, looking at the owner of the weapon with a grin. “Sango!” She thanked the stars at the named demon slayer's arrival as she and Miroku had come astride Kirara.  
  
“Kori-chan!” Shippo chirped as he transformed into a giant pink bubble and caught her when she landed on his head, hobbling to catch InuYasha and Kagome as well.  
  
“Thanks, Shippo!” Korihime said before InuYasha could question the kit, ears perking as Miroku used his Wind Tunnel to destroy a small slew of globs. “He’s using the Wind Tunnel?” She wondered in surprise.  
  
“Close it up, Miroku!” InuYasha urged.  
  
Miroku returned over the sound of his cursed hand, “it’s all right, I think the curse is weakened!”  
  
Both canines perked up as they felt the combined surge of two familiar _yoki_ before the far wall burst open with a blast of blue fire and green and yellow energy.  
  
InuYasha balked slightly, “Sesshomaru?”  
  
“Getsu!” Korihime beamed.  
  
Naraku regarded the odd party, from the pair of _daiyokai_ down to the children and imp, and huffed, “so you’re all here, you and your so-called friends.”  
  
Getsu folded her arms at her chest from her place next to Ah-Un and drawled, “ya didn't really expect to live long after the shit you've done to all of us, didja, Naraku?” He hadn't just pissed off InuYasha and his pack, but Sesshomaru's as well… Naraku definitely wasn't going to survive the day!

“You lot should be happy, your little alliance has brought light to the Shikon Jewel. It should give you some measure of hope, if you forget the fact that I've already fused the jewel with my body!” Naraku drawled even as he transformed before them all, his skin turning reddish brown like bark and his hair turning white as a streak of blue marked his cheeks and his eyes bled crimson.  
  
Korihime bristled and groused, “ya got uglier than before, I see.”  
  
“The darkness pushed out the light of the jewel!” Kagome gaped slightly.  
  
InuYasha huffed, “then he let the jewel totally consume his soul.”  
  
Several globs of miasma formed around the bust of Naraku and then flew down at the odd couple before a sharp blast of blue fire destroyed them with ease.  
  
“I didn't expect him to still _have_ a soul!” Getsu declared as another cluster of globs came to life beneath them and shot up at the dragon, firing another jet of blue at the rising globs.  
  
Sesshomaru released another volley from Bakusaiga at the globs and destroyed them, scowling as he recognized that the miasma was more potent than it had been earlier. “Jaken, take them out of here,” he ordered the imp.  
  
“B-but Lord Sesshomaru…” Rin began before the imp steered their dragon out of the body at seeing an opening, perking up as several more globs blocked them from leaving and observing, “there’s miasma here, too!”  
  
“Rin!” Korihime barked, loosing a glowing arrow at the globs as her arrow and Sango’s Hiraikotsu destroyed the globs, looking at the children as they gave the protective masks to Sango and Miroku as another sleeve of globs flew from the bust, twirling the bow in both hands before sending a sharp wave of ice screaming for the globs. “Kagome, you okay over there?” She asked her fellow archer.  
  
Kagome nodded and glanced down at her own bow as she said, “yeah, but it seems that, every time I lift my bow, Naraku sends out more miasma.”  
  
“He’s such a coward…” Korihime huffed as she loosed another _yoki_ -infused arrow, watching both Sesshomaru and InuYasha send a combined volley at the globs that had regrouped before looking to her sister who dropped from having used her fire to hover in the air and land with them, cocking a brow and asking, “what is it?”  
  
Getsu looked to the priestess as she reasoned, “I think he just doesn't want the jewel to be cleansed. We can mow him down enough for ya to get a shot.” She looked at her sister when the priestess nodded in agreement, cracking a rueful smile when blue and silver locked and musing, “we can’t let the boys have all the fun, can we?”  
  
Korihime smiled playfully and shouldered her bow, watching her sister leap off the kitsune to fly at Naraku in a ball of blue fire. “You two stay here, yeah?” She smiled at the priestess before following the other’s leave.  
  
“Kori-chan!” Kagome watched in surprise as the younger wolf demon kicked off from the walls that remained to freeze the globs of miasma before leaping onto them, looking from her to her sister as the lattermost bounced off the higher wall behind the bust like a blue pinball to unleash fiery volleys at the globs as she paved a way to the bust.  
  
“It’s useless, Naraku, your body is still crumbling!” InuYasha called as the other _hanyou_ ’s body regenerated after being struck with another volley of Meido blades.  
  
Naraku sneered, “even so, there’s enough left to destroy a village!”  
  
_He didn’t seriously_ … Korihime balked before she growled a curse and snapped, “you twisted bastard!”  
  
“A clever mind indeed, Korihime!” Naraku laughed blackly before addressing the other _hanyou_ , “you don’t get it, do you, InuYasha? You lot destroy me and my body will descend to eradicate that pathetic village!”  
  
“And what of it?” Sesshomaru growled before sharply swinging Bakusaiga as the blow cut the bust down the middle.  
  
Getsu flicked her wrist to send a sharp blast of fire that aided Bakusaiga's hit, frowning at seeing the jewel was still present despite being ensnared in an ember of blue. “My fire can’t destroy the jewel…” she murmured.  
  
Sesshomaru dropped slightly to her level, “Getsu, let’s go.” He extended his left hand, adding when the confused look lingered on her face, “you remember what she said, don’t you?”  
  
‘ _Only you two have enough power, even moreso combined, to end him.’_  
  
“Right!” Getsu slightly shook her head and took his hand, letting him pull her close before they spirited out of the crumbling body. 

Korihime bristled as the head of Naraku plus the pierced –and purified—jewel appeared in the pink aura glob that hovered over the Bone Eater’s Well, starting to lift her bow when a hand touched her shoulder, and she looked to her sister whose silver eyes weren’t on her but on Naraku. She lowered the bow and scowled at him.  
  
“I made a wish on the jewel in that moment when Byakuya of the Dreams cut you. That wish will come true when I die… it was a wish the Shikon Jewel demanded for me to say on its behalf.” Naraku stated even as his form became consumed by the aura around him, before he and the aura plus the jewel disappeared from sight.  
  
“Naraku,” Kagome said quietly with some confusion.  
  
A pocket of silence filled the air around the odd party before Miroku was first to break it as he recalled his cursed hand and removed the binds to see that the curse had been lifted.  
  
“Has the Wind Tunnel disappeared?” Kaede asked at large as she came to the odd party.  
  
Sango beamed even as tears stood in her eyes, “the Wind Tunnel is gone!”  
  
Korihime exhaled in relief, “he’s dead.”  
  
Miroku agreed as he regarded his once-cursed hand, “that much is true given that he’s no longer in this world.”  
  
Getsu smiled at her comrades before perking her ears as a crescent Meido void appeared behind Kagome, and she gaped. “A Meido!” She barked before the named priestess was pulled into it.  
  
“Kagome!” Korihime cried as InuYasha tried to grab her before the void closed up. “That was Naraku’s wish…” She realized.  
  
“But what happened to the Bone Eater’s Well?” Kaede asked, as they recognized the well had disappeared too.  
  
Getsu looked at her sister, “that doesn’t mean he wanted to seal Kagome away forever, does it…?” They both looked at the _hanyou_ as he drew Tetsusaiga and opened up a void of his own.  
  
“ **InuYasha**!” Korihime exclaimed as he dove into the void, starting to run after him when a hand grabbed her bicep from behind, and she looked up at his brother as she barked, “Sesshomaru, let me go!”  
  
Sesshomaru held fast even when she squirmed in his grip, demanding, “what good would come of you chasing him into the underworld, Korihime?” He looked past her at InuYasha as the void swallowed him up, releasing her arm to let her sink to her knees.  
  
Tears threatened to leak from her eyes as Korihime clenched her teeth and bit back a growl of anguish.  
  
_Don’t you dare die out there… come back to us, InuYasha!_


	34. Every Heart

“ **You idiot**!”  
  
The _hanyou_ yelped when a blur of blue tackled him and knocked him to the ground, grimacing at the fall and complaining, “ow, geez…” He cracked an eye open before opening both as he recognized the responsible she-wolf, rubbing his head with a hand as he demanded blandly, “the hell was that for, Kor?”  
  
“Don't go askin' pointless questions, dumbass, ya had us all worried sick! You’re lucky you escaped your own void, but know that I'm the one who's gonna maim you dead if ya pull that again!” She declared annoyedly, watching his ears flatten a bit as her stern expression lingered before cracking a degree at regarding his dog ears.  
  
He sat up a bit and caused her to draw away to let him breathe, dropping his gaze that darkened, as he defended, “what the hell else was I supposed ta do? Kagome was thrown into the underworld thanks to _my_ Meido, remember?”  
  
Scowl faltering into a soft frown at the reminder, she nodded once and wondered in a likewise-soft tone, “she went back to her world, didn’t she?” She mentally kicked herself for the somber look on his face that she didn't care for in any sense.  
  
“Yeah, she did. She wanted to see her family when we got back to her time and, before I knew it, I was being pulled back into the well and she… she stayed behind.” He explained quietly.  
  
Blue eyes saddened in empathy as a quiet started to settle between them, she closed her eyes and gave a slight exhale as she then slugged him hard in the right shoulder in order to snap him out of his funk.  
  
“Ow, hey!” He barked in pain, lifting a hand to rub his now-bruised shoulder, scowling sorely and grousing, “any chance ya could lay off for once?”  
  
Korihime chuckled as she straightened before extending a hand to him. “Not in this lifetime! And don’t look so mopey, InuYasha…” she urged, and her face softened as she added in a gentle tone, “it don’t suit you at all.”  
  
Mumbling a _‘keh_ ’, InuYasha took her hand and straightened as well, letting go to watch her bounce ahead of him before he recalled their other comrades, even his brother. “Where's everyone gone?” He asked.  
  
“They’re waiting back at Granny Kaede’s hut. C'mon, I’m sure your pack's plenty worried enough to come lookin' for you.” She replied with a light smile, looking at him over her left shoulder and adding in the same tone, “but I gotta warn ya that Getsu can be kinda irritable when she worries.”  
  
He snorted at the warning and warded off a grimace at whatever would come of seeing her sister, following his friend as he said dryly, “thanks for the head’s up.”

Her prediction came true once they were in sight of the village outskirts.  
  
“ **Bakkero**!” A familiar voice shouted as someone whacked him over the head with what felt like a scabbard, making the _hanyou_ stagger once again.  
  
The older of the two dog demons smirked with some pride as he crossed his arms in his sleeves whereas the younger wolf demon deadpanned, much like the others of their odd party.  
  
“Ow…” _Geez, how many times was he going to be beat up in one single day!?_ “ **What the hell, Getsu, that hurt**!” He bellowed as he jumped up and glared golden daggers at his future sister-in-law.  
  
“Welp _someone_ had to knock sense into that thick head of yours. Ya overgrown mutt, consider yourself lucky that ya survived the path to the underworld! I should've clocked ya into the next century for being so reckless!” The female _daiyokai_ scolded annoyedly as she held the sheathed Mangetsuga against her shoulder.  
  
InuYasha glared at her a moment longer before he huffed and rubbed the new bump with care, scowling elsewhere and grumbling, “Kori was right about ya bein' a piece of work when y'worry!”  
  
The named she-wolf had ducked behind his brother, earning a death glare from her sister and a cocked brow from her shield. “To be fair, I think you’ve really taken a shine to him if ya were that worried, _Onee-chan_ ,” she said with a cheesy smile as she poked her head out from his left shoulder.  
  
Getsu gave a snort as she looked away and promised, “I’ll deal with _you_ later… despite your bein' reckless, and brave considerin' you chased her into the underworld, you’re home. Kagome is safe in her world, and that’s what matters, right?” She smirked fondly and added, “I’m glad you’re okay… _baka-hanyou_.”  
  
“Tch, _don’t_ start callin' me that… s’ bad enough that the overgrown jackass over there says it.” He grated, flustered, as he looked away while jerking a thumb in his brother's direction.  
  
Said _‘overgrown jackass_ ’ shot him a death glare in return which went ignored, giving a scoff at hearing the younger wolf demon giggle.

The two wolves panted as they trotted towards the head female of their pack, nuzzling up to her and whining.  
  
She smiled and giggled, hugging both sentries. “I missed you too,” she cooed.  
  
“Promise you’ll keep in touch?” She wondered, smiling for her benefit, as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other on the smooth rock she occupied.  
  
“We're sisters so we kinda _have_ to, remember?” She replied, sparing a look at the clear sky above them, before looking at her and smiling again as she suggested, “maybe Koga can change the territory location, y’know, to be closer to you two. Pack sticks together.”  
  
Regarding the hopeful twinkle in her eye as a light breeze blew past them and played with their hair, she nodded and her face softened.  
  
“Yeah, that'd be fun. Y'know Sesshomaru prolly won't like havin' Koga so close, but I’m sure he’ll change his mind,” she agreed with a wink, earning a chuckle, before stepping closer to embrace her sister and receive an equally-tight hug in return. “Be safe goin' home, and tell him I said _‘hi_ ’.” She wished as they drew away, smiling at her.  
  
She chuckled and returned the smile as another breeze tugged at her blue hair, replying lightly, “I will. _Onii-san_ , look after her for me! Don’t go spoilin' her, though, y'know as well as I that Getsu ain’t a damsel.” She nodded to her future brother-in-law.  
  
Cracking a smirk before he shook his head, he remarked, “so long as that mongrel doesn’t make you cry.” He earned a laugh before watching her sprint away with the wolves into the forest.  
  
She sighed and retreated to his side of the bank, taking his offered hand as she hopped the remaining steps to meet his gold eyes with curiosity at noting he squeezed her hand before pulling her close.  
  
“Are you ready to go home?” Sesshomaru asked as a soft look crossed and seemed permanently stuck to his face when their eyes met.  
  
Getsu glanced away as she thought of the ruins of her old home that awaited her, giving a likewise soft sigh and replying, “yeah, let’s go.”  
  
Brow furrowing a degree, he reminded, “I told you that we don’t have to go back there…”  
  
“I need to be with you, Sesshomaru, because that's where home really is… 'sides, I'm tired of runnin'.” She said with resolve, brow also furrowed, as silver held gold.  
  
Squeezing her still-captive hand, he quieted and suggested dryly, “it’d be easier if we flew.”

_(three years later)_

Tying the pink sash at her belly, she smiled on the child as she said lightly, “there y’go!”  
  
A pout formed on her face as the toddler looked at her mother and complained, “but I don’t like pink… _you_ never liked pink either, Mama!”  
  
“Well your aunt _loves_ seein' pink on her little star.” The she-wolf chuckled as she met her big gold eyes.  
  
“Then are we not gonna go see Rin-onee?” The second toddler asked as he had come running up to the two, looking at his mother with confused silver eyes.  
  
Lifting him up from behind and smiling when his son gave a yelp before latching onto his neck, the dog demon answered for her, “you're _both_ going to visit your aunt, given you haven’t seen her since last winter.”  
  
“ **Aww** …” the twins whined in chorus.  
  
The wolf demon smiled warmly at her pups before hoisting up her daughter as she urged, “c'mon you two, I’m sure Ah-Un's ready to fly without ya.”

She chuckled at the bounce in her step, observing, “you look excited to see them again.”  
  
“I haven’t seen them since their birthday… 'sides, Sesshomaru is supposed to bring another gift for Rin,” she replied with a wise nod.  
  
The last three years while she had been in her time had seemed to mature the wolf sisters. The younger had hung around the village to stay in touch with her friends, at least between helping her now-husband clan head restore his tribe, that is. The older had gone off with her now-husband dog demon to live in the west and start a family of their own.  
  
Granted the distance didn't matter as the she-wolves didn't give up being impetuous when they got together, at least from what the _hanyou_ had told her when she returned.  
  
“Kori!” A familiar voice called, causing both women to first look at the named she-wolf's sister who waved to them from her place by the irrigation creeks before they watched two streaks of black and silver race for their aunt at top speed.  
  
“ **Auntie Kori**!” The twins exclaimed in chorus as they threw themselves into their aunt's arms, nearly making her teeter before she righted herself and laughed as she held fast to them.  
  
Korihime gave a squeeze before setting them down, looking from her nephew to her niece. “I missed you two! You're both growin' like a pair of weeds!” She observed with a giggle.  
  
“I’ve been telling Mama that I'm taller than Kawa!” Her nephew boasted with a laugh.  
  
Her niece pouted as she argued, “but I told Papa that Kiba’s not as smart as me!”  
  
“Welp y'know that you're both sharp,” Korihime pointed out with a kind smile if only to keep the peace, knowing that Kawa looked more like said sire… Kiba looked more like her father each time she saw him.  
  
“ _And_ their mother’s wit.” Getsu stated with a chuckle as she had come to Kagome’s side, having been exchanging greetings while her children caught up with their aunt, patting the priestess' back when the twins looked to her and introducing lightly, “Kiba, Kawa, this's your auntie Kagome.”  
  
Kiba sniffed the air before being first to pipe up, “but she’s a human, Mama, _and_ a priestess!”  
  
“Well not all humans are mean though, right Auntie?” Kawa pouted at him and looked to the other wolf demon.  
  
“Correct.” Korihime nodded before ruffling her silver hair and adding airily, “you're takin' after me already!”  
  
Kagome chuckled before looking to the familiar _hanyou_ that had found them, smiling at him.  
  
InuYasha paused shy of greeting the she-wolves when seeing the twins. “Surprised ya brought them here,” he greeted before nodding to their mother with a wry look.  
  
“Sesshomaru didn’t mind it, and they’re _your_ niece and nephew too, y’know.” Getsu replied with an innocent shrug, smiling when Kawa stepped up to her uncle.  
  
Instantly recognizing the silver hair and gold eyes that had seemed to be a trait among their estranged family, InuYasha caught a whiff of wolf demon from Kawa. “Welp, y’can tell Kawa is related…” he said as the mentioned pup tilted her head to one side before smiling.  
  
“We’re not really related to _him,_ are we, Mama?” Kiba wondered hopefully as he tugged on his mother’s gray obi.  
  
Getsu heard the stifled snort from her sister and crouched to tousle his dark hair. “Yep, but don't write him off yet, Kiba, your uncle don’t bite… he’s just like you, only bigger!” She said chirpily.  
  
Kagome giggled at said _hanyou_ when his ears flattened as he shot a sore look at the wolf sisters.  
  
“Never mind, y’can tell the little squirt is related, too…” InuYasha grumbled, having recognized his nephew’s tone as he had heard much the same from his brother many times over.  
  
Korihime elbowed him as she teased, “like y’can tell he’s _your_ nephew.” Her ears twitched at the familiar groan that sounded from the sky, and she regarded the two-headed steed coming to them with a smile, adding, “guess Sesshomaru is done with his errand.”  
  
“That’s typical…” Getsu lamented as the twins hugged their aunt goodbye before racing to greet Ah-Un who touched down, smiling at Kagome and Korihime before gently elbowing the _hanyou_ as she followed the pups, saying lightly, “see ya later.”  
  
“Be good you two!” Korihime advised the twins as Ah-Un rose into the air.  
  
“I guess he came to give another gift to Rin,” InuYasha guessed as his brother came into view while leading the way westward with Jaken clinging to his stole hem.  
  
“ _Onii-san!_ ” Kagome called as she waved to the dog demon, perking up at the very unamused scowl that crossed his face at her petname and musing, “huh, that’s a scary look… what’s wrong, InuYasha?” She caught the disturbed look his younger brother had adopted.  
  
InuYasha bristled at Korihime's barely hiding a laugh, snapping at his friend, “shut up, Kori!”  
  
“It's not funny, Getsu!” Sesshomaru barked, as annoyed as his brother, at his wife who had started laughing.  
  
Kiba looked at his father from their steed's back as he asked innocently, “what’s so funny, Papa?”  
  
“And why’s Jaken so angry?” Kawa added as she caught the named imp's rambling about the priestess’ insolence.  
  
Sesshomaru rubbed a hand over his face as he gave a short exhale before answering his twins, “we're going home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well guys, this was fun to write and even more fun to finish. 
> 
> i thought i'd add in this little epilogue chap because it was already written out when i uploaded it here, and also because canon doesn't really register around here. anyway, i know the great and wonderful Rumiko Takahashi has made us all excited for a sequel series, but truth be told i didn't make this story to coincide with the new series. idk i guess i'm egotistic in a sense that i don't pay much mind to what canon says and what i write/ have written.
> 
> anyway, thank yall soooooo much for the kudos and comment(s) and just for reading this. later!


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